m 


: 


1 


GUARDING  THE  MAILS; 

OR, 

THE    SECRET    SERVICE 


OF   THE 


POST-OFFICE    DEPARTMENT. 

BEING  A  RECORD  OF 

MAIL   ROBBERIES 

AND  THEIR 

DETECTION. 


EMBRACING    SKETCHES    OF  WONDERFUL    EXPLOITS    OF 

SPECIAL  AGENTS  IN  THE  DETECTION,  PURSUIT, 

AND   CAPTURE   OF 

DEPREDATORS    UPON    THE    MAILS, 

WITH   A   COMPLETE 

DESCRIPTION    OF    THE    MANY    MEANS    AND    COMPLICATED 

CONTRIVANCES  OF  THE  WILY  AND  UNSCRUPULOUS 

TO  DEFRAUD  THE  PUBLIC. 

BY 

F.    H.    WOODWARD 

}) 
CHIEF  SPECIAL  AGENT  IN  THE  POST-OFFICE  DEPARTMENT. 


ILLUSTRATED   BY  ONE  HUNDRED  AND    SIXTY-TWO  ENGRAVINGS. 


J.    P.    FITCH, 

HARTFORD,    CONN. 

1882. 


to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1876, 
"BY   P.  H.  WOODWARD, 

,'•:.-••••:  :    :  /.  «•• 

Ia"!tli,e(<t)flfc4of  Jtlflj l^ibttarian  of  Congress,  at  Washington,  D.  C 


CONTENTS. 


PAGE 

I.  THE  EXILE.      .  .  .  .  .21 

II.  BREAKING  IN.         ....  53 

III.  WHY  DID  SHE  DO  IT?  .  .  .81 

IV.  A  DESPERADO  ROUTED.    .  .  .  107 
V.  SELF-CONVICTED.        ....     127 

VI.  A  MIDNIGHT  ADVENTURE.  .  .  141 

VII.  A  FALLEN  STAR.         ....  159 

VIII.  KINDLING  FALSE  FIRES.  .  .  .  191 

IX.  PLUG-TOBACCO.  ....  229 

X.  UNFAITHFUL  MESSENGERS.  .  .  235 

XL  AN  APPLICANT  FOR  REAPPOINTMENT.  .  255 

XII.  THE  CONSPIRATORS.  .  .  .  269 

XIII.  A  TRICKSTER  TRICKED.          .  .  .  319 

XIV.  LOST  AND  SAVED.  .  .  .  337 

ii 

M88297 


12  CONTENTS. 

XV.  A  TELL-TALE  SEAL.              .  .             -355 

XVI.  TAKING  IN  STRANGERS.    .             .  .           361 

XVII.  BEGUILED  BY  WORMS.             .  .             .     385 

XVIII.  SWINDLERS  AND  THEIR  TRICKS.  .  .           417 

XIX.  THE  DEACON'S  DAUGHTER.     .  .             .     451 

XX.  A  MYSTERIOUS  BURGLARY.           .  .           481 

XXI.  THE  PATRIOTS  OF  '67.             .  .             .     509 

XXII.  OUT  OF  THE  DEEPS.          .            .  .           527 

XXIII.  IN  CONCLUSION.  ....     567 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS. 


PAGB 

Starting  in  Life 21 

Otho  Hinton 23 

Removing  the  fire-board  from  before  the  grate,  he  discovered  pieces  of 

letters,  post-bills,  strings,  sealing-wax,  and  paper  partly  burned.    .     28 
"Jake,  I'm  tired  and  sleepy;  I  believe  I  will  get  up  on  top,  under  the  can- 
vas, and  take  a  nap." 30 

The  astonishment  of  the  robber  was  equalled  only  by  his  chagrin.     ...     32 

"The  key  is  gone,"  replied  Mike,  the  porter. 34 

Unaccustomed  to  so  much  walking,  he  decided  to  buy  a  horse 37 

In  the  gathering  gloom  only  the  nearest  objects  were  visible 39 

Guided  by  the  splashing  in  the  water,  he  turned  the  skiff  down  stream, 

and  in  a  few  seconds  came  upon  the  half-drowned  man 41 

"  No  yer  don't,  no  yer  don't,  Meester  Heenton.     Yer  puts  yer  fut  een  eet 

dis  time.*' 44. 

"Did  you  know  that  he  was  under  arrest  for  robbing  the  mails?"  asked 

the  officer 47 

The  negro  gradually  recalled  the  circumstances 49 

The  dealer  had  no  suspicion  whatever  of  the  identity  of  the  proposed 

customer 50 

The  Lonely  Ride 53 

After  a  long  skirmish,  the  old  lady  admitted  that  for  several  months  her 

daughter  had  held  for  Ben  two  one  hundred  dollar  bills 58 

The  late  mail-rider  did  not  wait  for  a  second  warning,  but,  mounting  a 

fleet  steed,  plunged  into  the  forest 59 

"  No  mail-robber  ever  gets  away  from  me.    Now,  my  boy,  you  have  been 

robbing  the  mails." 6l 

The  rifled  packages,  hidden  in  hollow  trees  and  under  old  stumps,  were 
scattered  along  the  road  for  the  distance  of  thirty-five  miles,  the 
thief  pointing  out  the  places  of  concealment  as  they  cantered 

along 62 

13 


14  LIST   OF   ILLUSTRATIONS. 

William,  in  turn,  conducted  the  party  to  a  mausoleum  of  stolen  treas- 
ures  64 

"Here  is  but  one,"  remarked  the  agent.      "  I  must  have  the  other  also."   .     66 
Hurrying  through  the  meal,   he  repaired  to  his  own  room,  to  study  an 

apparently  insignificant  scrap  of  manuscript 68 

"  O,  what  an  infamous  villain  you  are !    Caught  at  last  in  your  own  trap  ! "     71 
Smythe  took  advantage  of  the  heavy  slumbers  of  his  companion  to  steal 

from  his  pocket  the  manipulated  receipt 75 

The  Home  of  the  Dunstons 81 

"Just  so,"  replied  the  agent;  "but  in  our  business  we  never  leave  any 

outlets  open,  and  I  will  go  through  it  as  a  matter  of  form."   ....     85 
At  the  same  instant  a  woman  stepped  out  upon  the  veranda,  with  a  milk- 
pail  in  each  hand .    . 87 

"Great  God!  that  I  should  live  to  come  to  this."      88 

She  stepped  quickly  toward  an  open  window,  and  placing  her  hands  on 

the  sill,  gave  a  convulsive  spring 90 

He  now  staggered  into  the  room,  and,  appalled  at  a  scene  he  could  not 

comprehend,  fell  heavily  to  the  floor 91 

"  Stop !     We  are  officers  of  the  United  States  government.     We  come 

hither  to  perform  a  painful  but  imperative  duty." 94 

"  Old  girl,  we  have  lived  together  forty  years,  and  I  believe  you."  ....     95 
The  poor,  broken-hearted  wife  threw  herself  at  the  feet  of  her  husband, 

and  ejaculated  piteously,  "John,  O  John,  forgive  me!  " 97 

With  a  long,  dirk-shaped  needle  she  was  trying  to  pierce  her  heart.   .    .    .    102 
Rising  from  her  seat,  she  snatched  the  hat  from  her  head,  and  tore  it  into 

shreds 104 

The  husband,  so  tender,  and  true,  and  faithful,  that  he  would  willingly 
have  bared  his  own  heart  to  the  shaft  to  spare  that  of  the  wife,  stood 

at  her  side  to  support  her  trembling  form 105 

The  broken-hearted  wife  was  left,  day  after  day,  to  the  solitary  companion- 
ship of  sad  thoughts  and  gloomy  forebodings 107 

Mounting  the  ox-wagon  with  half  a  dozen  bright-faced  children,  they  rode 

for  an  hour  through  the  woods 108 

"  Quarrel,  stranger!     Why,  I  whipped  that  woman  every  day,  reg'lar."    .   112 

The  Desperado 117 

The  clerk,  maddened  with  liquor  and  frenzied  with  passion,  crept  stealthily 

on  to  the  piazza,  armed  with  a  double-barreled  gun 118 

She  had  seen  the  clerk  open  letters,  and  had  often  heard  the  contents  dis- 
cussed  I2O 

The  Teller  declines  to  accept  the  Bill 127 

Virgil  Swayne 128 


LIST    OF    ILLUSTRATIONS.  15 

"Look  again,"  urged  the  lynx-eyed  messenger 130 

"  You  are  a  dealer  in  counterfeit  money." 134. 

"  I  will  tell  you  where  you  got  it.     You  stole  it  from  a  letter." 139 

The  Home  of  the  Nathans 141 

The  passengers  were  compelled  to  pry  out  the  wheels  with  fence-rails.      .  145 
The   raindrops,  driven  by  a  strong  north-easterly  wind,  penetrated   like 

hail 146 

Mrs.   Nathan,  with  arms  folded  behind  her  back,  was  slowly  pacing  the 

room .    .    .  151 

Her  small  black  eye  seemed  to  emit  venom  like  the  eye  of  an  enraged  rat- 
tlesnake     .    .    .    r 153 

"  Thank  God  that  j'ou  still  live,"  whispered  the  dreaded  visitant 155 

The  special  agent  listened  with  apparent  interest  to  the  doleful  doggerel.     156 
With  a  sly  twinkle  of  the  eye,  he  congratulated  the  bridegroom  upon  his 

good  fortune 157 

Paul  Atherton 159 

The  officer  mailed  a  number  of  letters  that  to  an  ordinary  thief  would 
have  proved  as   irresistibly  attractive  as  fat  chickens  to  a  hungry 

hawk 164 

But  the  gentleman  declined  to  lend  the  slightest  assistance 168 

The  broad  collar  of  an  overcoat  concealed  his  cheeks,  while  his  forehead 

and  eyes  were  buried  under  the  ample  brim  of  a  slouched  hat.    .    .    .  170 

The  door  was  then  cautiously  opened,  and  the  figure  disappeared 172 

"  By  the  way,  Mr.  S.,  how  are  you  getting  on  with  that  mail  contractor? 

Don't  you  fellows  from  Washington  drive  rather  slow  coaches?"     .  173 
The  youth  lowered  something  by  a  string,  closed  the  sash,  and  shortly 

after  emerged  from  the  front  door 174 

The  asthmatic  old  gentleman  of  the    previous  night,  now  transformed 

into  a  somewhat  dilapidated  inebriate,  followed  closely 175 

The  new  arrival   staggered  into  the  billiard-parlor,  and   tumbled  into  a 

seat  in  close  proximity  to  the  table  upon  which  Paul  was  playing.  .  176 

Not  to  be  outdone,  the  ragamuffin  ordered  a  "  bot'l  best  wine." 179 

"  You  are  a  deceiver  —  a  thief!  " 181 

"I  am  guilty,  O  God,  how  guilty!     Let  me  die  here." 183 

Paul  opening  Letters 185 

"  Guilty  or  not  guilty?" — "  Guilty,  very  guilty." iSS 

In  suddenness  and  fury  the  storm  surpassed  the  tropical  cyclone 190 

The  sheriff  found  in  a  barrel,  partly  filled  with  old  iron,  registered  pack- 
age-envelope No.  8 197 

Around,  around,  around  he  walked,  through  the  hours  that  seemed  to 

lengthen  into  ages 201 


i6 


LIST    OF    ILLUSTRATIONS. 


"  I  have  reformed  —  have   dropped  '  cus  words'  —  am   going  to  walk  as 

straight  as  a  bee-line." 204 

Taking  a  seat  on  the  back  of  a  chair,  and  eying  the  poor  fellow  with  a 

cold,  fixed  stare 205 

"Well,  Billy,  you  are  a  little  queer  in  spots.     Now  sit  down  here  and  be 

easy.     I  am  not  a  fool,  and  at  all  events  I  am  not  a  coward."   .    .    .   212 
"  Stranger,  it  is  no  use.     My  guilt  has  found  me  out.     I  took  the  gold. 

O,  my  God,  why  did  I  do  it?" "...   216 

"  All  right,"  thundered  the  officer.      >'  If  you  will  not  listen,  I'll  make  you 

feel." 221 

"Officer,  here  is  your  .man  ;   do  your  duty." 227 

"You  are  the  man  that  robbed  that  registered  letter." 229 

Removing  the  picture,  he  found  secreted  behind  it,  one  five  and  two  one 

hundred  dollar  notes 232 

Merchants,  bankers,  and  others,  do  not  hesitate  to  commit  the  custody  of 

their  mails  to  mere  boys 235 

The  Youthful  Protege 239 

Plunging  his  hand   into  the  well-filled  pouch,  the  "scion  of  a  wealthy 

family  "  drew  out  a  large  number  of  letters 245 

Entirely  unsuspicious  of  the  object  of  the  expedition,  he  pointed  out  vari- 
ous places  of  interest  on  the  way. 249 

Apprehended  in  the  very  act 252 

Abel  Ridley 255 

The  Pawnbroker 257 

The  conductor  kindly  stopped  to  let  the  special  agent  off. 261 

As  the  fellow  emerged  from  behind  the  counter,  he  was  stopped  in  the 

middle  of  the  floor,  where  there  was  no.  chance  for  further  tricks.    .    263 

The  youth  first  took  the  stand 265 

His  just  deserts • 269 

That  gentleman,  raising  his  eyes  from  the  note,  scanned  him  cautiously.     272 
On  the  pretense  of  buying  a  machine,  Dudley  called  at  the  salesroom  in 

company  with  his  brother-in-law 275 

Expecting  to  discover  a  huge  roll  of  bills,  he  found  nothing  more  valuable 

than  a  bundle  of  obsolete  railroad  time-tables 280 

That  evening,  the  insurance  agent  lingered  at  the  office  much  beyond  the 

usual  hour,  waiting  for  the  return  of  the  customer 288 

At  this  point,  a  new  character  appeared  on  the  scene,  in  the  person  of  a 

fresh,  fair,  blooming  young  woman 290 

Watching  intently  the  transports  of  reconciliation,  the  fragile  support  un- 
derneath gave  way,  and  the  detectives  tumbled  promiscuously  to  the 
floor .  294 


LIST    OF   ILLUSTRATIONS.  1 7 

"There  is  some  mistake  here.    You  have  got  the  wrong  man.    What  have 

I  done?" 296 

Excellent  fare,  moistened    not  unfrequently  with  choice  wines,  won  his 

entire  confidence,  and  talk  he  must 298 

She  visited  the  store,  and  made  numerous  purchases,  always  dealing  with 

.   Miss  Adelaide 307 

Collaring  the  miscreant,  with  an  air  of  triumph 309 

The  Country  Home  of  Dudley 312 

"I  want  to  get  out!" 319 

«O,  John!  ^-  big  robbery!  —  Tilsit!  —  quick!" 323 

"  Please  copy  this  list  in  your  own  hand  on  one  of  the  regular  blanks."    .  325 

Preparing  for  the  "  grand  bounce." 327 

"  I  am  certainly  sorry  to  have  disturbed  you,  but  I  must  have  that  bill."   .  333 

Miss  Edna  Norman 337 

As  if  in  alarm,  she  thrust  it  back,  and  soon  disappeared."      342 

Taking  it  down,  and  thrusting  his  hand  into  the  pocket,  he  drew  forth 

not  only  the  decoy,  but  several  other  letters 343 

Taking  a  string  of  keys  from  the  trunk,  he  unlocked  the  casket,  while  the 

girl  averted  her  face  in  silent,  sullen  submission 349 

Rushing  forward,  she  clasped  the  broken  reed  in  her  arms,  exclaiming, 

"  Edna,  dear  Edna,  I  know  all,  but  I  forgive  all !" 352 

Mr.  Mahoney,  Sen 355 

Mr.  Mahoney,  Jr 359 

William  Parker,  M.  D 361 

While  thus  engaged,  the  clerk  incautiously  informed  him  that  he  had  an 

inquiry  from  the  department 368 

With  guilt  pictured  upon  every  lineament,  he  answered,  "  I  have  not  got 

the  letter." 370 

Mr.  Myers,  equipped  with  the  proper  authority,  thoroughly  searches  the 

effects  of  Parker 374 

The  complete  breakdown  of  the  doctor  took  every  one  by  surprise.     .   .    .  376 

Charles  Worms,  Captain  and  A.  Q^  M 385 

In  the  parlor  of  the  proprietor  his  position  soon  became  established  as  a 

familiar  and  favorite  visitor 386 

Quickening  his  steps,  he  came  up  in  time  to  see  the  familiar  figure  of  his 

friend  disappear  through  the  entrance  to  one  of  the  rooms 390 

"  Dat  be    not   necessary,"  answered    the   captain,   gyrating  around   the 

table 395 

'*  Yas,  yas,"  ruminated  the  tapster,  "  I  mind  'im  now.     Talk  much,  didn't 

he, 'bout  bein' a  soldier?    Talk  very  big." 401 

tl  But  I  haf  no  writteen  audoritee,"  remonstrated  J.  S 403 

2 


l8  LIST    OF   ILLUSTRATIONS. 

The  surprise  of  the  gentleman  thus  rudely  awakened  grew  into  wonder,  if 

not  into  dread 410 

Devoted  ostensibly  to  the  manufacture  of  "  Boonekamp  Bitters,"  the  prem- 
ises were  really  used  for  making  articles  that  belong  to  the  equip- 
ment of  the  vilest  order  of  quacks 413 

Sold 417 

Rev.  Zachariah  Sapp 423 

"  Is  it  good?"  queried  the  anxious  owner 425 

"  I  have  heard  of  you  before.     You  are  the  villain,  are  you,  who  has  been 

turning  my  office  into  a  den  of  thieves  ?    I  have  caught  you  at  last !  "  429 

The  Aspirant 432 

"  Look  a-here,"  replied  Seth,  holding  forth  the  missive  in  his  shriveled 

and  bony  fingers 435 

"  Bless  yeour  soul,"  replied  she,  "  it's  all  right.     I  'tend  to  all  the  biznis."  441 
"  But  where  is  the  arsenal?     I  understood  it  was  situated  here."  —  "  Your 
information  is  correct,"  replied  the  young  man.    "That  is  it,  across 

the  road." „    .    .    .    .   447 

Rebecca  Starr 451 

"  Sharretts,  what  on  earth  do  you  mean?    I  thought  you  were  a  detective 

—  a   first-class  detective.      Have  I  been  humbugged  in  my  good 
opinion?" 456 

At  his  request,  a  female  clerk  ripped  open  the  ends,  when  he  wrote  his 

own  name  on  the  inside  in  indelible  ink 459 

The  Deacon's  Mansion 462 

Dropping  the  commission  from  her  trembling  hands,  she  burst  into  tears, 

and  exclaimed,  "  O,  sir!  did  you  do  that  to  catch  me?" 466 

"  My  child,  my  child!  if  the  whole  world  unites  in  calling  you  a  sinner, 
the  heart  of  your  poor  old  father  will  be  a  safe  home  for  you  always 

—  only  it  does  ache  a  little  now,  Rebecca." 469 

Apparently  satisfied  that  no  one  was  near  to  interrupt  the  colloquy,  she 

said,  "Are  you  the  human  crittur  that  wants  to  see  my  old  man?"    472 
The  squire  emerged  from  the  door,  and  in  elaborate  legal  verbiage  com- 
manded him  to  stop.     Not  to  be  outdone,  the  Amazon  of  the  clock- 
face  added  a  defiant  crow 476 

Committing  the  Crime 48* 

Midnight  conclaves  were  held,  notable  for  wisdom  and  gush 482 

Before  the  sash  was  exhausted    he  could  in  every  instance,  from   the  ap- 
pearance of  the  fracture,  tell  from  which  direction  the  blow  came.      488 
Before  removing  her  bonnet,  or  taking  a  seat,  she  "  let  her  tongue  loose," 
and  hardly  paused  for  breath  till  her  stock  of  discoveries  was  ex- 
hausted  49! 


LIST    OF    ILLUSTRATIONS.  19 

"  Put  on  your  clothes,  and  go  with  me  !  Quick  !  Not  a  minute  to  lose !  "  496 
Quick  as  a  gazelle  she  sprang  away,  and,  rushing  down  the  length  of 

the  room,  threw  herself  upon  the  neck  of  her  brother 504 

The  Judge 509 

An  African  with  a  tallow  dip  led  the  way  to  the  sleeping  apartment.  .  .  .510 

Digem 517 

Mr.  Darrell .  521 

With  no  small  degree  of  ill-suppressed  wrath,  she  continued,  "The  old 

reprobate  lies  from  beginning  to  end." 524 

As  the  stranger  entered,  he  found  the  proprietor  engaged  at  his  trade.  .  .  527 
"Yet,"  continued  the  innkeeper,  "  this  is  a  dead  sure  thing  on  him;  and, 

although  I  am  truly  sorry,  I  s'pose  he'll  have  to  be  put  through."  .  534 

He  became  impacted  in  the  kettle  like  the  cork  in  a  champagne-bottle.  .  541 

"  O,  yes,  you  do,  Frank." 543 

The  officer  jumped  out,  and  sprang  to  the  side  of  Mr.  Rafferty 547 

Aminadab  Luffer 552 

Aminadab  in  Danger 554 

Garmo  receiving  the  congratulations  of  his  friends 560 


STHO    HINTON  carried 
into     Columbus,      Ohio, 
the    first    mail   ever  re- 
ceived    there.       A     solita- 
ry log   hut,  surrounded   by 
miles    of    unbroken    forest, 
has  since  expanded  into  the 
proud  and  prosperous  capital 
of  the  state.     Little  did  the 
friendless  boy,  clad  in  coarse 
home-spun,   and    starting  in 
life  as  a  "mail-rider, "foresee 
either  the  marvellous  growth 
of  the  country,  or  the  strange 
vicissitudes  in  store  for  him. 
On  that  bright  June  morning 
he  rode  through  the  woods 
with  a  light  heart,  and  with 
songs  as  cheery  as  the  carols 
of  the  birds  that  peopled  the 
leafy  trees,   for   his   willing 
labor  brought  honest  though  scanty  recompense. 

Faithful  to   employers,  diligent  in  the  discharge  of  every 
duty,  the  lad  soon  attracted  the  attention  of  influential  patrons^  ' 
when  advancement  rapidly  followed.     Promotion  succeeded 
promotion,    till    Otho    Hinton   became   general  agent  of  the 


Starting  in  Life. 


22  THE    EXILE. 

"  Ohio  Stage  Company,"  an  organization  wielding  a  large 
capital,  and  composed  of  some  of  the  foremost  men  of  the 
state,  at  the  head  of  whom  stood  William  Neil  of  Columbus. 
In  the  years  1849  anc*  1850  the  company  had  a  monopoly  of 
the  important, mail  routes  in  Ohio,  its  ramifications  extending 
in  all  directions. 

At  the ;  time  referred  to,  the  State  Bank  of  Ohio,  then  ap- 
proaching* the  Zenith :  of  prosperity,  had  established  branches 
at  all  the  important  towns  in  the  commonwealth,  and  large 
sums  were  constantly  transmitted  by  mail  between  the  parent 
institution  and  its  various  offshoots.  Business  of  this  char- 
acter has  since  been  transferred  almost  wholly  to  the  ex- 
press companies,  so  that  it  is  difficult  to  realize  with  what 
confidence,  in  those  days  of  primitive  simplicity,  men  intrust- 
ed to  the  mails,  packages  containing  hundreds  or  thousands 
of  dollars  in  currency.  For  the  most  part  the  valuable  par- 
cels went  through  safely,  though  often,  no  doubt,  from  the 
well-known  nature  of  the  contents,  exciting  the  cupidity  of 
officials  who  lacked  the  hardihood  to  steal,  for  great  precau- 
tions were  then  taken  to  preserve  a  trace  of  letters,  so  that 
any  act  of  depredation  pointed  much  more  directly  to  the  thief 
than  under  the  less  cumbersome  but  more  economical  and 
expeditious  system  which  now  prevails.  Isolated  instances  of 
robbery  were  generally  followed  by  speedy  detection  and  pun- 
ishment. Occasionally,  however,  a  crafty  rogue  contrived  to 
do  a  great  deal  of  mischief  before  the  method  of  his  opera- 
tions could  be  discovered. 

In  the  year  1849  a  series  of  alarming  depredations  began  in 
Ohio.  One  after  another,  money  packages  containing  large 
remittances,  mailed  at  various  offices,  and  addressed  to  differ- 
ent points,  both  in  and  out  of  the  state,  unaccountably  disap- 
peared. The  losses  were  reported  to  the  department,  and 
referred  for  investigation  to  two  or  three  special  agents,  whose 
districts,  under  the  old  system  of  division,  seemed  to  be  in- 
vplved.  Mr.  Thomas  P.  Shallcross,  then  a  young  man  and 
cpmparatively  new  in  the  service,  though  he  had  already 


WHAT    ON    EARTH    IS    TO    PAY? 


given  evidence  of  the  skill  in  detection  which  was  soon  to 
render  his  name  a  terror  to  evil-doers,  was  at  the  time  as- 
signed to  duty  in  Virginia,  the  Carolinas,  and  Georgia.  One 
day  Mr.  Shallcross  happened  to  be  in  the  office  of  William 
H.  Dundas,  Esq.,  chief  clerk  of  the  contract  bureau,  who,  in 
connection  with  other  duties,  had  the  direct  supervision  of  the 
work  of  special  agents,  and  who  at  the  moment  was  engaged 
on  the  reported  losses  from  Ohio.  Greatly  annoyed  at  the 
prolonged  continuance  of 
the  trouble,  Mr.  Dundas  en- 
tered into  an  elaborate  ex- 
planation of  the  complaints, 
when  General  Hinton,  for 
such  was  now  his  title,  quite 
unexpectedly  dropped  in. 
The  chief  clerk  and  he  were 
old  friends,  and  their  greet- 
ings were  very  cordial. 

"By  the  way,  General," 
remarked  Dundas,  "we  are 
having  a  terrible  time  with 
our  mails  out  in  your  region, 
and  we  were  discussing  the 
matter  as  you  came  in. 
What  on  earth  is  to  pay? 
Come,  give  us  your  views, 
for  you,  perhaps,  may  hold 
the  clue." 

A  third  of  a  century,  replete  With  honor  and  prosperity, 
had  passed  over  the  head  of  Otho  Hinton  since  our  first  intro- 
duction to  him  on  what  was  then  the  wild  western  frontier. 
The  solidity  of  his  form  corresponded  well  with  the  supposed 
permanence  of  his  fortunes.  Tall,  erect,  and  carrying  a 
weight  of  two  hundred  and  twenty-five  pounds  without  detri- 
ment to  the  symmetry  of  a  handsome  figure,  at  the  age  of 
fifty-three  he  was  in  the  prime  of  vigorous  manhood.  Yet 


Otho  Hinton. 


24  THE    EXILE. 

those  well-cut  features  wore  at  times  a  sinister  expression  far 
from  pleasing.  A  sensualist  by  inclination  and  habit,  he  suf- 
fered the  vice  to  gnaw  at  his  heart  till  the  foundations  of 
virtue  were  hopelessly  sapped. 

At  the  random  shot  of  Mr.  Dundas  the  features  of  the  great 
mail  contractor  winced,  and  his  large  brown  eye  gave  a  con- 
vulsive twitch,  as  if  conscious  that  suspicion  rested  upon  him 
already.  These  involuntary  movements,  that  flitted  away 
like  a  shadow,  did  not  escape  the  observation  of  Mr.  Shall- 
cross,  who  has  the  rare  gift  of  seeing  everything  without 
appearing  to  notice  anything.  Hinton  soon  walked  out,  to 
seek  relief,  evidently,  from  an  atmosphere  oppressive  with 
suggestions  of  guilt. 

"Did  you  mark  the  peculiar  actions  of  General  Hinton 
when  you  mentioned  the  Ohio  losses  ? "  inquired  the  special 
agent. 

"No,"  answered  Mr.  Dundas,  "I  saw  nothing  unusual  in 
his  manner." 

"  I  did,"  rejoined  the  detective.  "  Upon  the  sudden  intro- 
duction of  the  subject,  the  General  for  a  moment  lost  his 
mental  balance,  and  betrayed  a  confusion  that  argues  any- 
thing but  innocence.  The  facts,  too,  all  point  to  him  as  the 
criminal.  You  must  have  observed  that  the  losses  are  not 
confined  to  a  single  line,  but  have  occurred  on  all  the  impor- 
tant routes  in  the  state,  where,  besides,  there  are  no  common 
points  of  contact  or  intersection.  No  one  person  could  perpe- 
trate these  robberies,  unless  provided  with  a  roving  commis- 
sion, yet  the  ear-marks  plainly  indicate  that  all  are  the  work 
of  a  single  hand.  Hinton  is  the  only  man  in  whom  all  the 
required  conditions  meet.  As  general  manager  of  the  com- 
pany, he  passes  over  the  different  lines  at  will,  and  the  little 
army  of  employes  are  completely  subject  to  his  command. 
Give  me  an  opportunity  to  investigate  the  cases,  and  I  will 
soon  convince  you  that  my  suspicions  are  correct." 

Mr.  Dundas,  whose  native  caution  had  been  heightened  by 
conservative  influences,  was  a  good  deal  nettled  at  what  ap- 


A    DIFFERENCE    OF    OPINION.  25 

peared  to  him  to  be  the  hasty,  rash,  and  indeed  presumptu- 
ous conclusions  of  the  special  agent. 

"How  could  the  General  get  possession  of  the  packages?" 
inquired  he ;  "  it  would  be  impossible  to  steal  them  from  the 
post-offices  \vithout"  instant  detection,  and  he  could  not  abstract 
them  from  the  pouches,  if  he  does  pass  over  the  routes,  with- 
out both  the  collusion  of  the  drivers  and  cutting  the  bags ;  yet 
there  is  no  complaint  that  a  single  one  has  been  mutilated. 
Of  course  he  has  no  mail-keys.  How,  then,  could  he  commit 
the  robberies  ?  " 

"Are  you  aware,"  inquired  Shallcross,  "that  a  year  or  two 
ago  a  full  set  of  keys  was  stolen  from  the  depository  in  this 
building  ?  " 

"  I  have  an  indistinct  recollection,"  replied  the  chief  clerk, 
"that  Mr.  Johnson  reported  something  of  the  kind,  but  General 
Hinton  never  took  them.  I  have  too  much  confidence  in  his 
honor  and  integrity  to  harbor  the  suspicion  for  a  moment  that 
he  would  commit  so  base  an  act,  even  if  the  opportunity  was 
granted  him,  which  may  be  doubted.  To  my  mind  the  con- 
clusion to  which  you  have  so  hastily  jumped  seems  utterly 
preposterous." 

"  Perhaps  argument  will  not  bring  us  any  nearer  to  agree- 
ment," rejoined  the  detective ;  "  but  in  view  of  future  devel- 
opments let  me  again  venture  the  prediction  that  when  the 
truth  is  brought  to  light,  the  man  in  whom  you  place  such 
unbounded  faith  will  be  exposed  as  the  criminal." 

"As  a  friend,"  answered  the  chief  clerk,  "let  me  advise  you 
not  to  talk  in  this  manner  about  General  Hinton.  I  have 
known  him  long  and  intimately,  and  have  yet  to  see  the  first 
act  indicating  knavery  or  dishonor.  The  opinion  of  those 
most  closely  associated  with  him  in  business  may  be  inferred 
from  the  trusts  they  confide  to  him.  He  directs  the  financial 
management  of  the  Ohio  Stage  Company,  draws  their  mail 
pay,  attends  to  the  matters  requiring  congressional  action, 
and  is  their  accredited  agent  at  this  department.  All  the 
duties  growing  out  of  this  position  he  has  discharged  satisfac- 


26  THE    EXILE. 

torily  for  many  years.  Besides,  the  social  connections  of  the 
General  are  powerful,  both  here  and  at  home.  As  the  per- 
sonal friend  of  senators  and  cabinet  ministers,  he  wields  an 
influence  that  should  not  be  lightly  defied.  Were  he  to  hear 
of  your  remarks,  he  might  cause  you  a  great  deal  of  trouble." 

"My  suspicions  have  been  expressed  to  no  human  being 
except  yourself,"  replied  the  special  agent,  "  and  I  shall  con- 
tinue to  keep  my  own  counsels  till  the  opportunity  arises  to 
convince  you  that  I  am  right.  I  need  hardly  request  you 
to  observe  equal  reticence  in  regard  to  the  matter,  for,  aside 
from  native  prudence,  your  interest  both  in  the  General  and 
in  the  service  enjoins  silence." 

The  next  day  Shallcross  left  Washington. 

On  the  22d  of  August,  1850,  the  mail  was  robbed  between 
Zanesville,  Ohio,  and  Wheeling,  Virginia.  At  that  time  the 
great  eastern  and  western  mails  were  carried  by  stage-coaches 
from  Zanesville,  via  Wheeling,  to  Cumberland,  Maryland, 
the  western  terminus  of  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio  Railway, 
over  the  famous  "  National  Road  "  which  was  laid  out  and 
macadamized  at  the  cost  of  the  general  government.  As 
originally  projected,  the  road  was  to  extend  to  St.  Louis, 
Missouri,  but  was  never  completed  beyond  Vincennes,  Indi- 
ana, the  rapid  growth  of  our  railway  system  superseding  the 
old  methods  of  transportation.  In  those  days  not  unfrequently 
a  dozen  four-horse  coaches,  heavily  loaded,  left  Wheeling  in 
a  single  morning. 

The  robbery  of  August  22d  was  discovered  on  the  arrival 
at  Wheeling  of  the  through  pouch  from  Zanesville,  the  way- 
bills showing  the  shortage.  Captain  G.  W.  Clutter,  then 
chief  clerk  in  the  Wheeling  office,  having  been  instructed  by 
Mr.  Shallcross  to  notify  him  immediately  of  any  irregularities 
that  might  occur,  telegraphed  the  fact  at  once.  The  despatch 
reached  the  detective  in  South  Carolina,  when  he  made  the 
journey  to  Wheeling  as  fast  as  the  conveyances  of  the  period 
would  take  him. 

The  opportunity  had  arrived  to  test  the  correctness  of  the 


THE    CRIMINAL    AGAIN    AT    WORK.  27 

theory  propounded  with  confidence  to  Mr.  Dundas,  to  be 
thrown  back  with  ill-disguised  contempt.  Pride,  not  less 
than  duty,  stimulated  the  officer  to  make  the  investigation 
thorough.  So  far  everything  had  happened  according  to  ex- 
pectation. Alarmed  by  the  remarks  of  the  chief  clerk,  the 
thief  had  refrained  for  an  unusual  period  from  a  repetition  of 
the  robberies  ;  but,  as  months  rolled  peacefully  by,  temptation 
at  length  overmastered  fear.  Even  on  the  brink  of  ruin  the 
thief  cannot  repress  the  propensity  to  steal.  When  the  moor- 
ings that  bind  one  to  honesty  are  cut,  the  day  of  safety  is 
passed.  Some  demon,  cruel,  relentless,  vengeful,  goads  on 
the  criminal  to  fresh  hazards  with  a  power  which  he  finds  it 
vain  to  resist. 

"  Like  the  bat  of  Indian  brakes, 
Her  pinions  fan  the  wound  she  makes, 
And,  soothing  thus  the  dreamer's  pain, 
She  drinks  the  life-blood  from  the  vein." 

On  his  arrival,  the  first  object  of  the  detective  was  to  ascer- 
tain whether  Hinton  came  through  with  the  rifled  pouch,  on 
the  night  of  August  22d,  and,  somewhat  to  his  astonishment, 
he  learned  that  such  was  not  the  case.  Captain  W.  D.  Terry, 
or  "Captain  Bill,"  as  he  was  familiarly  called,  a  sub-agent  of 
the  Ohio  Stage  Company  in  charge  of  the  line  between  Zanes- 
ville  and  Wheeling,  happened  to  be  in  Wheeling  at  the  time. 
Without  waiting  to  visit  his  family,  who  resided  there  and 
whom  he  had  not  seen  for  many  months,  Shallcross  request- 
ed the  captain  to  hitch  up  his  fastest  team,  and  take  him  in 
the  direction  of  Zanesville  as  quickly  as  possible.  Always 
prompt  to  respond  to  the  calls  of  the  department,  Terry  in- 
stantly complied,  and  in  a  few  minutes  the  two  were  off. 

Arriving  at  Morristown,  Ohio,  the  detective  carelessly  in- 
quired of  the  son  of  the  landlady  who  kept  the  stage-stand,  if 
General  Hinton  had  been  there  lately. 

"Yes,"  replied  the  youth;  "  he  came  on  the  morning  coach 
a  few  days  ago,  and  stopped  off." 

"What  morning?" 


28 


THE    EXILE. 


The  boy  looked  at  the  register,  and  replied,  "  It  was  the 
23d  of  August." 

The  officer  sauntered  up  to  the  table  where  the  register 
lay,  and  caught  the  number  of  the  room  which  had  been  as- 
signed to  the  General.  Being  well  acquainted  with  the  house, 
he  proceeded  up  stairs,  without  manifesting  the  least  concern 
or  excitement,  to  the  apartment  occupied  by  Hinton,  and 
removing  the  fire-board  from  before  the  grate,  discovered 


"  Removing  the  fire-board  from  before  the  grate,  he  discovered  pieces  of  letters, 
post-bills,  strings,  sealing-wax,  and  paper  partly  burned." 

pieces  of  letters,  post-bills,  strings,  sealing-wax,  and  paper 
partly  burned,  with  a  post-bill  from  Hillsboro',  Ohio,  almost 
entire.  These  remnants  were  carefully  gathered  up  and 
placed  in  an  envelope.  In  a  few  minutes  he  returned  to  find 
Captain  Terry  at  the  door  with  a  relay  of  horses,  when  the 
two  gentlemen  stepped  into  the  carriage  and  were  off. 

From  Morristown  they  drove  to  Cambridge,  stopping  at  the 


A    SHARP    LITTLE    GAME. 


29 


intermediate  stations  long  enough  to  allay,  by  inquiries  hav- 
ing no  relation  to  the  object  of  the  journey,  any  suspicion  that 
might  arise  from  seeing  an  agent  of  the  post-office  and  of  the 
stage  company  travelling  together.  At  Concord,  some  dis- 
tance west  of  Cambridge,  and  the  first  stand  east  from  Zanes-' 
ville,  they  met  "Jake"  Fricker,  the  driver  in  charge  of  the 
eastern  bound  coach  on  the  evening  of  August  22d.  Taking 
him  aside,  the  officer  remarked,  "Jake,  I  wish  to  ask  you  one 
or  two  questions  privately." 

"Proceed,"  replied  the  Jehu  of  the  line,  striking  an  attitude 
of  attention. 

"Jake,  you  took  the  coach  out  of  Zanesville  on  the  evening 
of  August  22d.  Was  General  Hinton  with  you  on  that  trip?" 

"Yes,  the  General  was  along.     I  remember  it  well." 

*  Now,  Jake,"  continued  the  officer,  "  I  want  you  to  tell 
me  just  where  the  General  was  that  night,  and  what  he  did. 
Did  he  handle  the  mail-bags  at  all,  and  if  so,  when  and  how? 
I  want  the  truth,  the  whole  truth,  and  nothing  but  the  truth." 

"The  truth  you  shall  have,"  replied  the  driver  ;  "  for  if  there 
is  anything  wrong,  I  want  to  be  clear  of  it.  If  the  mails  have 
been  interfered  with,  I  don't  want  to  be  blamed,  and  don't 
mean  to  be  if  I  can  help  it.  On  that  trip,  as  we  were  start- 
ing from  Zanesville,  General  Hinton  got  up  on  the  box  with 
me,  and  said,  '  I  believe  I'll  take  a  ride  with  you  down  the 
road.'  He  talked  and  smoked  till  after  dark,  when  he  re- 
marked, with  a  played-out  sort  of  a  yawn,  '  Jake,  I'm  tired 
and  sleepy.  I  believe  I  will  get  up  on  the  top  of  the  coach, 
under  the  canvas,  and  take  a  nap.  Hand  me  one  of  the 
mail-bags  out  of  the  front  boot  for  a  pillow.  Don't  give  me 
the  way  mail,  but  a  through  pouch,  for  I  don't  wish  to  be 
waked  up  at  every  post-office.'  Not  thinking  it  any  harm, 
as  I  had  often  done  the  same  thing  before,  I  drew  out  the 
bag  made  up  at  Zanesville  for  Wheeling.  He  took  it,  and 
lay  down  at  full  length  on  top  of  the  coach,  under  the  can- 
vas. When  I  reached  the  end  of  my  drive,  he  was  still 
there,  sound  asleep  as  I  supposed,  for  he  did  not  speak  or 


30  THE    EXILE. 

move.  The  next  driver  took  him  on  down  the  road;  and 
that  is  all  I  know  about  the  matter." 

The  locked  pouches,  or  as  many  of  them  as  could  be  stowed 
there,  were  then  carried  in  the  front  boot  of  the  coaches 
under  the  feet  of  the  drivers. 

Having  completed  the  statement  of  facts,  Jake  yielded  to 
the  promptings  of  an  irrepressible  curiosity  and  inquired  iri- 
nocently,  "  Mr.  Shallcross,  has  the  mail  been  robbed?" 


"  Jake,  I'm  tired  and  sleepy;  I  believe  I  will  get  up  on  top,  under  the  canvas, 

and  take  a  nap." 

"  That  is  just  what  I  wish  to  find  out,"  answered  that  gen- 
tleman. "Have  you  heard  that  it  was?" 

"Well,"  replied  Jake,  scratching  his  head  doubtfully,  "I 
can't  exactly  say  I  have ;  but  I've  had  some  d — d  funny 
questions  asked  me  lately  about  the  mails." 

The  driver  was  cautioned  to  say  nothing  to  any  one  about 
the  interview ;  and  in  a  short  time  Captain  Terry  and  the 
officer  left  for  Zanesville  behind  a  span  of  fresh  horses. 


SHADOWING       THE    THIEF.  3! 

On  arriving  there,  Shallcross  soon  learned  that  Mr.  Moses 
Wheeler,  a  local  banker,  on  the  afternoon  of  August  22d, 
mailed  a  large  package  of  eastern  bank-notes  which  failed  to 
reach  the  distribution  office  at  Wheeling.  Of  a  part  of  these 
the  banker  had  retained  a  full  description,  a  copy  of  which 
was  turned  over  to  the  officer. 

By  telegraphing  to  different  points,  it  was  ascertained  that 
Hinton  was  seen  in  Pittsburgh  a  few  days  before,  and  thither 
the  detective  proceeded  by  the  first  coach.  Too  restless  to 
remain  long  in  one  place,  the  General  had  left  for  Cleveland, 
Ohio.  Mr.  Shallcross  at  once  sent  a  despatch  to  D.  M.  Has- 
kell,  Esq.,  postmaster  at  Cleveland,  giving  a  description  of  the 
stolen  money,  and  directing  him  to  employ  some  one  to  watch 
every  movement  of  Hinton  while  in  the  city.  In  case  the 
General  visited  any  bank  or  broker's  office,  the  party  on  the 
lookout  was  to  follow  immediately  for  the  purpose  of  gaining 
possession  of  any  bills  he  might  have  parted  with  in  exchange 
for  current  funds. 

Mr.  Haskell  laid  the  matter  before  Thomas  McKinstry, 
deputy  United  States  marshal,  and  the  two  undertook  the  task 
of  "  shadowing "  Hinton,  who  had  already  arrived.  After 
dinner  the  General  sauntered  up  and  down  two  or  three  of 
the  principal  streets,  and  on  passing  the  office  of  a  prominent 
broker,  disappeared  quickly  through  the  doorway.  A  few 
seconds  after  he  came  out,  the  postmaster  hurried  in,  for  during 
the  interim  he  had  slipped  across  the  street  and  taken  refuge 
in  an  adjoining  store.  Going  up  to  the  banker,  he  inquired 
in  a  low,  confidential  voice,  "Mr.  Crittenden,  did  the  gentle- 
man who  just  left  exchange  any  money  here?" 

"Yes,"  replied  the  broker,  who  had  not  finished  arranging 
the  identical  bills  ;  "  and  here  it  is,"  pushing  out  the  notes  just 
received  at  a  discount  of  five  per  cent.  On  comparing  them 
with  the  description,  they  were  found  to  correspond.  Ar- 
rangements were  speedily  made  to  have  the  money  sealed  up 
by  itself  to  be  used  as  evidence,  when  the  postmaster  returned 
to  the  office. 


32  THE    EXILE. 

Meanwhile  Mr.  Shallcross  had  been  equally  fortunate  at 
Pittsburgh,  having  obtained  a  package  of  notes  exchanged  by 
Hinton  at  the  bank  of  Sibbet  and  Jones,  and  which  were  also 
identified  as  a  portion  of  the  plunder  captured  on  the  night  of 
the  22d.  Thereupon  he  sent  a  second  despatch  to  Mr.  Has- 
kell,  informing  him  that  he  held  conclusive  proofs  of  the  guilt 
of  Hinton,  and  directing  him  to  keep  a  close  watch  of  the 
criminal  till  his  arrival,  but  under  no  circumstances  to  make 


••  The  astonishment  of  the  robber  was  equalled  only  by  his  chagrin." 

an  arrest.     He  further  stated  that  he  should  start  that  night 
for  Cleveland. 

The  telegram  was  handed  to  Mr.  Haskell  shortly  after  his 
return  to  the  post-office.  Instead  of  acting  in  accordance 
with  the  instructions  of  the  officer  who  had  the  case  in  charge 
and  was  responsible  for  its  management,  the  postmaster,  on 
consultation  with  McKinstry,  went  in  person  before  a  United 
States  commissioner,  and  swore  out  a  warrant  for  the  arrest 


33 

of  the  General,  who  was  apprehended  the  same  evening.  As 
he  was  well  known  in  the  city,  the  news  spread  rapidly  and 
caused  great  excitement. 

The  astonishment  of  the  robber  was  equalled  only  by  his 
chagrin.  For  a  long  period  having  carried  on  an  extensive 
scheme  of  depredations  under  the  eyes  of  skillful  detectives 
whose  confidence  he  shared,  he  came  at  last  to  regard  expos- 
ure as  a  remote  contingency  hardly  to  be  considered  in  the 
calculation  of  chances.  As  yet  he  did  not  know  that  a  new 
man  had  taken  up  the  trail,  or  that  steps  rarely  misled  by 
false  scents  were  pursuing  him  unseen.  Thus  far  he  saw 
only  the  clumsy  hand  of  a  postmaster,  unpractised  in  the  arts 
of  detection,  who  had  rashly  ventured  to  turn  aside  from  the 
legitimate  sphere  of  duty,  to  trip  an  expert  that  had  passed 
unscathed  beneath  the  batteries  of  the  most  experienced  offi- 
cers in  the  land.  He  felt  like  a  certain  eminent  physician 
that,  at  the  age  of  threescore  and  ten,  fell  mortally  ill  of  the 
measles.  As  the  rigors  of  the  last  agony  were  approaching, 
he  remarked,  "  I  have  nothing  to  fear,  no  regrets  to  express 
at  being  cut  down  at  the  height  of  my  usefulness,  but  it  is 
hard,  hard,  very  hard,  after  facing  death  for  half  a  century 
in  all  its  forms,  after  passing  many  times  unharmed  through 
the  plague  and  the  pestilence,  to  perish  at  last  of  a  baby 
disease." 

Determined,  if  possible,  not  to  be  outwitted  by  a  novice,  the 
General  exerted  his  ingenuity  to  circumvent  his  captor.  With 
loud  protestations  of  innocence,  he  denounced  Haskell  as  an 
idiot,  declaring  that  his  days  as  postmaster  at  Cleveland 
were  numbered,  as  he  had  influence  enough  at  Washington 
to  secure  the  removal  of  a  dozen  such  fellows  for  the  asking. 
To  avoid  sleeping  in  jail  that  night,  he  implored  the  commis- 
sioner to  allow  him  time  to  consult  with  friends  and  to  secure 
counsel,  suggesting  that  he  be  permitted  to  remain  till  morn- 
ing at  the  Weddell  House,  under  charge  of  a  proper  guard. 
Meanwhile  Haskell,  having  become  really  frightened  at  the 
bold  front  and  rigorous  threats  of  the  accused,  so  far  weak- 
3 


34 


THE    EXILE, 


ened  in  resolution  as  to  accede  without  opposition  to  the 
arrangement  proposed.  Hence,  with  the  consent  of  the  com- 
missioner, it  was  agreed  that  McKinstry  and  Colonel  Abbey, 
city  marshal,  should  remain  with  the  General  through  the 
night  in  one  of  the  parlors  of  the  hotel. 

After  supper  the  three  gentlemen  repaired  to  the  apartment 
designated  for  the  purpose  on  one  of  the  upper  floors.  Hin- 
ton  had  seen  much  of  the  world,  and  in  conversation  could  be 
forcible  or  entertaining  at  will.  In  the  present  emergency 
he  exerted  his  powers  to  the  utmost  to  obtain  temporary  as- 
cendency over  the  minds  of  his  guardsmen,  with  the  view  of 

withdrawing  their  thoughts 
from  the  object  of  the  meeting, 
and  of  encouraging  a  feeling 
of  security.  Protestations  of 
innocence  and  threats  of  ven- 
geance against  the  postmas- 
ter, were  adroitly  interlarded 
with  anecdotes  and  personal 
reminiscences.  At  length  the 
watchers  grew  sleepy  and 
negligent,  while  the  General 
at  intervals  paced  the  room 
diagonally  for  the  apparent 
purpose  of  resting  his  limbs. 
Seizing  a  favorable  moment, 
he  gave  a  sudden  spring, 
pulled  the  key  from  the  door, 
whirled  through,  and  locking 
the  room  on  the  outside,  placed 
the  key  in  his  pocket.  The 
guardsmen  recovered  from  the  shock  of  surprise  to  find  them- 
selves prisoners.  Hinton  hurried  noiselessly  down  stairs  and 
escaped  by  one  of  the  private  entrances  to  the  hotel. 

Some  seconds  elapsed  before  McKinstry  and  Abbey  could 
decide  upon  a  plan  of  action.  They  then  began  to  shout  lus- 


' '  The  key  is  gone,'  replied  Mike,  the 
porter. " 


THE    ESCAPE    OF    HINTON.  35 

tily  for  the  porter  on  watch  below,  who,  after  some  delay, 
caught  the  sound  of  the  tumult,  and  ran  up  stairs  to  inquire 
what  was  the  matter. 

"Let  us  out  quick,"  replied  McKinstry ;  "General  Hinton 
has  locked  us  in  and  escaped.  Come,  make  haste." 

"The  key  is  gone,"  replied  Mike,  the  porter. 

"Hurry  up  and  find  another,"  answered  the  voice  within. 

Mike,  having  returned  to  the  office  for  a  master-key,  liber- 
ated the  guards  thus  unexpectedly  metamorphosed  into  pris- 
oners. It  was  between  one  and  two  o'clock  in  the  morning. 
Without  sitting  down  to  chew  the  cud  of  mortification,  they 
roused  a  few  friends,  and  began  to  scour  the  city  in  search  of 
the  fugitive.  Messengers  were  despatched  in  various  direc- 
tions, but  the}''  gradually  returned  bringing  no  tidings  what- 
ever of  the  runaway. 

Shallcross  arrived  about  noon  from  Pittsburgh.  When  in- 
formed that  the  postmaster,  in  violation  of  positive  instruc- 
tions, had  assumed  management  of  the  case  only  to  commit  a 
series  of  blunders  ending  in  the  flight  of  the  criminal,  his 
wrath  found  expression  in  language  more  forcible  than  ele- 
gant. Through  superserviceable  zeal,  poor  Haskell  had 
managed  to  draw  upon  his  devoted  head  the  fire  of  both  friend 
and  foe.  Nor  is  there  any  one  to  whom  a  blunderer  can  go, 
under  such  circumstances,  for  consolation,  as  all  are  under 
strong  temptation  to  join  in  the  general  censure,  if  for  no 
other  reason  than  to  show  their  own  superiority. 

It  is  worthy  of  remark  in  passing,  that  whenever  postmas- 
ters interfere  with  the  work  of  special  agents,  in  matters  of 
detection  and  arrests,  they  almost  invariably  make  a  failure. 
If  the  thief  is  at  all  sharp,  he  not  unfrequently  proves  a  Tartar 
in  the  hands  of  his  captor,  causing  a  great  deal  more  trouble 
than  he  receives.  The  department  is  often  annoyed,  and  the 
ends  of  justice  are  often  thwarted,  by  well-meant  but  perni- 
cious intermeddling  of  this  kind.  Instead  of  acting  on  his 
own  responsibility  in  such  cases,  it  is  the  duty  of  postmasters 
to  notify  the  proper  officer  at  Washington,  that  an  agent  of 


36  THE    EXILE. 

the  requisite  qualifications  may  be  sent  to  attend  properly  to 
the  business. 

Having  taken  a  hasty  survey  of  the  situation,  Mr.  Shallcross 
proceeded  immediately  to  Columbus,  traveling  night  and  day, 
as  he  had  done  continuously  for  over  two  weeks,  with  nothing 
more  comfortable  than  a  seat  or  the  floor  of  a  coach  to  sleep 
on.  In  that  city  the  Ohio  Stage  Company  had  its  headquar- 
ters, J.  H.  Sullivan,  Esq.,  being  then  president,  and  Oscar 
Ream,  Esq.,  secretary.  On  the  presentation  of  the  facts  by 
the  special  agent  of  the  post-office  department,  those  gentle- 
men at  once  issued  orders  to  all  the  agents  of  the  company  to 
keep  a  strict  lookout  for  Hinton,  and  to  report  promptly  any 
information  they  might  obtain  concerning  him.  From  Colum- 
bus, in  company  with  Mr.  Ream,  Mr.  Shallcross,  drove  to 
Delaware,  Ohio,  the  home  of  Hinton,  and  made  the  necessary 
arrangements  for  his  apprehension  should  he  visit  his  family. 

In  the  mean  time  the  post-office  department,  having  been 
fully  advised  of  the  situation,  authorized  Mr.  Shallcross  'to 
offer  a  reward  of  one  thousand  dollars  for  the  arrest  of  Hin- 
ton, and  he  accordingly  scattered  broadcast  handbills  contain- 
ing a  complete  description  of  the  fugitive,  with  the  amount  of 
the  reward  displayed  in  conspicuous  type,  well  suited  to  open 
the  optics,  and  put  on  the  qui  vtve  the  "Buckeyes  "  of  the 
period.  Mr.  Sullivan  added,  over  his  own  signature,  as  pres- 
ident, strict  instructions  to  all  employes  of  the  company  to 
extend  the  fullest  aid  to  the  special  agent  in  his  efforts  to 
effect  a  capture.  For  several  days  no  news  was  heard  of  the 
robber  from  any  quarter,  and  it  seemed  idle  to  speculate  in 
regard  to  his  movements.  From  the  fact  that  Hinton  was  ex- 
tensively known  through  the  state,  the  detective  reasoned  that 
he  would  try  to  remain  in  concealment  till  the  pursuit  relaxed 
in  vigor,  and  then  make  his  way  as  best  he  could  to  some 
other  part  of  the  country. 

On  returning  to  Columbus,  Mr.  Shallcross  found  a  telegram 
announcing  that  Hinton  had  been  seen  in  the  vicinity  of 
Akron,  Ohio,  where  he  applied  at  a  farm-house  for  food, 


A   HARD  JOURNEY   WITH    HARD    FARE, 


37 


saying  that  he  was  very  hungry,  having  eaten  nothing  for 
two  days  except  green  corn  plucked  from  the  fields  beside  the 
road.  Thither  the  special  agent  started  immediately,  and 
learned  from  the  farmer's  wife  that,  after  a  voracious  meal, 
the  half-starved  traveler  left  in  the  direction  of  Ravenna. 
Barely  stopping  to  thank  the  lady  for  the  information,  the  offi- 
cer pushed  on  in  hot  pursuit.  A  few  miles  beyond  he  ascer- 


"  Unaccustomed  to  so  much  walking,  he  decided  to  buy  a  horse." 

tained  that  a  man  answering  to  the  description  had  recently 
passed,  and  that  he  had  bought  from  an  old  gentleman  in  the 
vicinity  a  horse  and  equipments.  From  this  person  additional 
and  highly  important  information  was  obtained.  He  still  had 
the  bills,  eighty-five  dollars,  received  in  payment  for  the 
horse,  and  on  examination  they  proved  to  be  the  identical 
notes  contained  in  the  letter  mailed  at  Hillsborough,  Ohio, 
the  post-bill  accompanying  which,  the  detective  at  an  earlier 
stage  of  the  chase  had  found  behind  the  fire-board  of  the 


3  THE    EXILE. 

s 

General's  room  in  the  hotel  at  Morristown.  The  gentleman 
was  directed  to  retain  the  money,  and  not  to  part  with  it  under 
any  circumstances  till  authorized  to  do  so. 

In  addition  to  the  stolen  bills,  another  discovery  was  made 
at  this  place.  The  seller  of  the  horse  stated  that  the  purchaser 
arrived  about  noon,  and  represented  himself  to  be  an  agent 
of  a  nursery  firm  engaged  in  selling  trees.  Unaccustomed 
to  so  much  walking,  he  had  become  weary  and  foot-sore,  and 
had  accordingly  decided,  to  buy  a  horse,  to  facilitate  his  move- 
ments. After  completing  the  bargain  and  taking  dinner,  the 
stranger  remarked  that  he  had  a  visit  to  pay  to  a  gentleman 
in  the  neighborhood,  but  as  the  distance  was  considerable 
around  by  the  road,  he  would  take  a  short  cut  on  foot  across 
the  lots,  adding  that  he  might  not  return  before  nightfall. 
He  left  in  the  direction  of  the  place  designated,  and  came 
back  at  dusk.  He  then  partook  of  a  hurried  supper,  and  rode 
away. 

Before  the  arrival  of  the  special  agent,  the  old  gentleman 
whom  the  nursery  agent  had  favored  with  his  patronage 
learned  from  the  farmer,  upon  whom  the  same  individual  pro- 
posed to  call,  that  no  such  person  had  come  near  his  place. 
Hence  the  detective  inferred  that  the  fugitive  hoped  to  escape 
by  traveling  in  the  night  and  remaining  in  concealment 
through  the  day.  On  the  afternoon  of  the  purchase  he  prob- 
ably stayed  in  an  adjoining  cornfield,  with  no  other  compan- 
ionship than  guilty  memories  and  dismal  forebodings. 

The  detective  further  concluded,  from  the  direction  of  his 
flight,  that  he  was  hastening  toward  the  river,  hoping  to  find 
an  asylum  among  the  hills  of  Virginia  and  Western  Pennsyl- 
vania, where  few  if  any  were  familiar  with  his  features. 

Changing  horses  at  Ravenna,  Mr.  Shallcross  continued  the 
pursuit  with  unabated  vigor,  stopping  at  wide  intervals  long 
enough  to  partake  of  necessary  food,  but  not  thinking  of  rest 
while  the  object  of  the  chase  was  still  unaccomplished.  A 
hint  here  and  there,  occasional  and  fragmentary,  as  the  fugi- 
tive traveled  mostly  at  night,  satisfied  the  officer  that  Hinton 


THE    MIDNIGHT    RIDE. 


39 


was  aiming  for  the  ford  at  Wellsville,  in  Columbiana  County, 
and  toward  that  point  accordingly  he  hastened. 

Arriving  about  midnight  at  a  small  hamlet  a  few  miles  from 
New  Lisbon,  the  special  agent  learned  that  early  on  the 
morning  of  the  same  day  a  stranger,  who  from  the  description 
could  be  no  other  than  Hinton,  had  ridden  up  to  the  door  and 
asked  for  breakfast.  When  the  meal  was  over,  the  gentleman 
remarked  that  he  had  business  to  transact  in  the  neighbor- 
hood which  would  probably  consume  the  day,  and  requested 
the  privilege  of  leaving  his  horse  in  the  stable.  He  then 
went  away  on  foot,  but  re- 
turned at  twilight,  paid  his 
bill,  and  rode  off.  This  cir- 
cumstance fully  confirmed  the 
theory  already  formed  in  ref- 
erence to  the  method  of  travel 
pursued  by  the  fugitive. 

It  was  now  definitely  known 
that  the  robber  was  only  four 
hours  in  advance  of  the  officer, 
who  urged  on  his  jaded  horse 
with  renewed  zeal,  in  the  effort 
to  overtake  him,  if  possible, 
before  he  should  succeed  in 
crossing  the  Ohio.  Having  no 
longer  a  doubt  that  he  would 
attempt  to  ford  the  stream  at 
Wellsville,  the  intuitions  of  the 
detective,  originating  in  the 
scanty  information  possessed  as 
far  back  as  at  Ravenna,  amounting  almost  to  foreknowledge, 
he  aimed  directly  for  that  point. 

Hinton,  it  was  well  known,  was  entirely  familiar  with  the 
route,  having  often  passed  over  it  as  general  manager  of  the 
stage  company,  so  that  there  was  no  reasonable  hope  that  he 
might  be  detained  by  missing  the  way. 


In  the  gathering  gloom  only  the  near- 
est objects  were  visible." 


THE 


As  the  special  agent  approached  the  river,  he  entered  a 
bank  of  fog,  which  grew  more  dense  and  dismal  as  he  ad- 
vanced, till  in  the  gathering  gloom  only  the  nearest  objects 
were  visible.  Fences,  houses,  trees,  were  successively  lost 
to  sight,  till  at  last  he  was  compelled  to  trust  entirely  to  the 
instincts  of  the  horse  for  pilotage. 

Meanwhile  Hinton  was  pursuing  his  solitary  journey  under 
equal  disadvantages.  About  two  o'clock  in  the  morning  he 
passed  through  the  familiar  streets  of  Wellsville,  having  little 
need  to  use  caution  now,  for  the  village  was  buried  in  dark- 
ness and  sleep.  A  few  moments  later  and  the  waters  of  the 
river  were  rolling  in  mystery  before  him. 

Should  he  go  on  alone  or  seek  aid?  By  daylight,  or 
in  an  ordinary  night,  a  person  familiar  with  the  ground  could 
here  ford  the  stream,  at  seasons  of  low  water,  without  peril,  as 
a  bar  extends  from  the  Ohio  side  in  a  north-easterly  direction, 
midway  into  the  river,  and  there  intersects  with  another, 
reaching  out  in  a  north-westerly  line  from  the  opposite  bank. 
Though  the  rider  had  often  crossed  at  this  point,  the  horse 
was  a  stranger  to  the  locality,  and  in  a  night  like  the  present 
a  horse  that  knew  the  ford  could  be  trusted  with  much  more 
confidence  than  a  man. 

Weary  in  body  and  tortured  in  mind,  the  robber  did  not 
stop  to  count  the  chances.  Behind,  earth  and  air  swarmed 
with  dangers ;  ahead,  beyond  that  vefl  of  mist,  as  he  delusively 
imagined,  lay  peace  and  safety.  In  a  few  hours  it  might  be 
too  late.  Into  the  stream,  accordingly,  he  urged  the  horse, 


M  Like  one  that  on  a  5< 


Doth  walk  in  fear  and  dread, 


And  turns  no  move  his  head ; 
Because  he  knows  a  frightful 
Doth  close  behind  him  tread.* 

Cautiously  feeling  his  way  along  die  bar,  Hinton  advanced 
several  rods  without  accident,  but  before  reaching  the  point 
of  intersection  lost  his  bearings,  and  guided  the  animal  into 


ALMOST  A  WATERY  GRAVE.  4! 

deep  water.  For  a  few  seconds  he  drifted  passively  at  the 
mercy  of  the  current,  and  then,  waking  to  a  realization  of  the 
danger,  struggled  frantically  to  regain  the  ford.  The  heavy 
weight  of  the  rider  pressed  the  horse  beneath  the  surface, 
when  throwing  out  his  arms  in  sudden  fright,  he  lost  his  seat 
in  the  saddle,  and  became  separated  from  the  beast.  It  was 
an  appalling  crisis.  Dread  of  capture,  stronger  than  the  fear 


Guided  by  th 


ti(?  in  the  water,  he  turned  the  skiff  down  stream,  and  in 
;onds  came  upon  the  half-drowned  man." 


of  death,  deterred  the  robber  from  shouting  for  help.  Besides, 
at  that  hour  of  the  night,  what  would  outcries  avail?  Sleep 
and  silence,  deep  as  the  blackness  that  hung  over  the  river, 
seemed  to  hold  both  man  and  nature  in  chains.  From  what 
quarter  could  aid  penetrate  the  gloom?  Then,  in  the  moment 
of  supreme  despair,  the  wretch  remembered  the  happiness  of 
innocent  though  humble  childhood,  and  passed  in  swift  review 
the  career  of  vice  and  crime  that  had  dragged  him  down  from 


42 


THE    EXILE. 


seats  of  honor  to  perish  alone,  pursued  by  avenging  furies. 
Conscience  declared  that  the  surrounding  darkness,  so  black 
and  hopeless,  was  a  fitting  pall  to  hide  from  sight  the  close  of 
such  a  life. 

The  noise,  however,  attracted  the  attention  of  the  boat- 
watchman  who  slept  at  the  landing. 

Without  waiting  to  deliberate,  for  he  knew  some  one  was  in 
trouble,  he  sprang  up,  lit  a  reflecting  lantern,  jumped  into  a 
skiff,  and  pushed  out  into  the  stream.  Near  the  bank  he  met 
the  riderless  horse  retracing  its  steps  along  the  bar.  Guided 
by  the  splashing  in  the  water,  he  turned  the  skiff  down  stream, 
and  in  a  few  seconds  came  upon  the  half-drowned  man,  who, 
amid  all  the  terrors  of  the  situation,  dared  not  call  for  aid. 
The  rescue  was  not  yet  complete,  for  it  required  great  and 
skillful  efforts  to  draw  him  into  the  boat,  which,  however,  was 
at  length  accomplished,  when  the  watchman  rowed  back  to 
the  Ohio  side.  On  the  way  Hinton  fabricated  a  story  which 
entirely  satisfied  the  Good  Samaritan  whose  prompt  action 
had  saved  him  from  death. 

Hinton  knew  every  one  at  Wellsville,  for  this  was  an  im- 
portant stage  stand.  It  would  not  answer  to  be  seen  near  the 
village  by  daylight,  and  the  river  could  not  be  crossed,  under 
the  circumstances,  in  the  fog.  The  only  alternative  pre- 
sented to  the  mind  of  the  fugitive  was  to  obtain  somewhere  a 
supply  of  food,  and  seek  shelter  in  the  forests  of  the  neigh- 
borhood, while  waiting  for  a  more  favorable  night  for  fording 
the  stream. 

Thanking  the  boatman,  and  remounting  the  horse  which  had 
considerately  come  to  a  stand  near  the  landing,  Hinton  rode 
slowly  toward  the  hotel  of  the  town,  revolving  plans  for  the 
future  on  the  way.  With  the  building  and  its  environments 
he  was  perfectly  familiar,  having  often  shared  its  good  cheer. 
Tying  the  animal  under  a  shed  in  the  rear,  he  walked  up  to 
the  back  L  to  reconnoitre.  Utter  stillness  prevailed.  Gently 
trying  a  window  of  the  kitchen,  he  found  it  unfastened.  Be- 
fore proceeding  further,  he  pulled  off  his  boots,  which  were 


PY    TAM,    VOT    IS    DISH?" 


43 


filled  with  water,  turning  them  sole  upward  against  the  steps 
to  drain. 

Chilled  by  the  long  immersion,  shivering  with  cold  and 
dread,  the  homeless  wanderer  paused  a  moment  irresolutely, 
undecided  whether  to  raid  on  the  well-stocked  pantry  of  the 
inn,  or  to  ride  away  unfurnished  with  supplies.  During  his 
flight,  however,  he  had  suffered  too  much  from  hunger  to  risk 
a  repetition  of  the  evil.  Silently  raising  the  window,  he  thrust 
in  his  head  and  body,  and  cautiously  stretched  out  his  foot 
toward  the  floor.  The  dripping  stocking  fell  on  the  face  of 
Caspar,  the  hostler,  who  was  sleeping  on  a  blanket  directly 
beneath  the  window.  Visions  of  burglars  and  midnight  as- 
sassination did  not  frighten  away  the  wits  of  the  Teuton. 
Spitting  out  the  unsavory  waters  of  the  Ohio,  he  grasped  the 
nether  extremity  of  the  intruder,  exclaiming,  "  Py  tarn,  vot  is 
dish?" 

Hinton  made  a  brief  and  desperate,  but  unavailing  effort 
to  escape,  for  the  German  was  much  the  stronger  of  the 
two. 

"  Mine  Got !  murter  !  heelp  !  heelp  !  queek  !  I'm  got  heem," 
yelled  Caspar,  awaking  the  night  with  strange  imprecations. 

"  Hush  !  hush  !  "  whispered  the  prisoner.  "  I  am  no  thief. 
I'm  an  old  friend  —  hungry  —  that  stopped  to  get  food  with- 
out disturbing  the  house.  Please  keep  quiet,  and  let  me  go." 

"Meester  Heenton,  ees  it  you?"  ejaculated  Caspar,  recog- 
nizing the  voice. 

"  Let  me  go  and  I'll  make  you  rich,  —  the  richest  man  in 
Wellsville,"  pleaded  the  prisoner. 

"  No  yer  don't  —  no  yer  don't,  Meester  Heenton  ;  I  knows 
eet  all.  Yer  puts  yer  fut  een  eet  dis  time,  dat  ishso,"  and 
the  hostler  again  waked  the  echoes  with  calls  for  aid. 

In  a  few  minutes  Mr.  Ben  Way,  proprietor  of  the  establish- 
ment, appeared  with  a  light,  when,  to  the  captor  thus  rein- 
forced, the  prisoner  offered  no  further  resistance. 

While  the  above  incidents  were  happening,  the  special 
agent  of  the  post-office  department  was  approaching  the  vil- 


44  THE    EXILE. 

lage  as  speedily  as  circumstances  would  permit.  It  was  about 
half  past  three  in  the  morning,  when,  attracted  by  the  light, 
he  stopped  at  the  door  of  the  hotel  and  knocked  for  admit- 
tance. The  summons  was  answered  by  the  landlord  in  per- 
son. Upon  entering  the  room,  the  astonishment  of  the  officer 
was  only  equalled  by  his  delight  as  he  saw  the  robber  whom 
he  had  suspected  so  long  and  hunted  so  vigorously,  a  prisoner 
in  the  hands  of  the  herculean  hostler. 


"No  yer  don't,  —  no  yer  don't,  Meester  Heenton.  .  .  .  Yer  puts  yer  fut  een  eet 
dis  time,  dat  ishso." 

The  situation  was  soon  explained  to  the  special  agent,  who 
directed,  as  a  matter  of  greater  security,  that  Hinton  should 
be  put  in  irons,  and  drawing  a  pair  of  handcuffs  from  his 
pocket,  he  caused  these  useful  ornaments  to  be  clasped  around 
the  wrists  of  the  captive. 

Having  arranged  with  Mr.  Way  and  the  deputy  sheriff  of 
Columbiana  County  to  take  the  prisoner  to  Cleveland,  Mr. 


CAGED    AT    LAST.  45 

Shallcross  lost  no  time  in  looking  up  the  witnesses,  going  to 
Wheeling,  Morristown,  Zanesville,  Hillsborough,  and  other 
places  along  the  National  Road,  then  the  great  highway  be- 
tween the  east  and  the  west.  Among  the  parties  summoned 
were  George  W.  Clutter,  chief  clerk  in  the  Wheeling  post- 
office,  Moses  Wheeler,  banker  of  Zanesville,  several  of  the 
drivers  with  whom  Hinton  had  traveled  while  depredating  on 
the  mails,  the  citizen  of  Hillsborough  who  sent  the  letter  con- 
taining the  money  afterward  paid  through  the  hands  of  the 
thief  for  the  horse  purchased  near  Akron,  and  others  whose 
testimony  was  deemed  important. 

On  the  loth  of  September  the  special  agent,  with  the  wit- 
nesses, arrived  in  Cleveland,  and  the  next  day  the  examina- 
tion before  the  United  States  commissioner  began,  and  con- 
tinued without  intermission  till  the  I4th,  when  the  accused 
was  held  for  trial  on  four  separate  charges,  and  required  to 
give  bail  in  the  sum  of  fifteen  thousand  dollars.  As  no  one 
in  that  city  was  willing  to  risk  so  much  on  his  appearance 
at  the  appointed  time,  the  General  was  remanded  to  jail  for 
the  night. 

On  the  i5th,  Mr.  Shallcross  and  General  G.  A.  Jones, 
United  States  marshal  for  the  district  of  Ohio,  started  for 
Columbus,  having  the  prisoner  in  custody,  and  arrived  the  next 
afternoon.  As  the  party  drove  through  the  suburbs,  Hinton 
remarked,  "  I  am  the  person  who  carried  the  first  mail  ever 
brought  into  Columbus,  when  a  poor  and  almost  friendless 
boy." 

The  prisoner  was  lodged  in  jail  to  await  trial  at  the  fall 
term  of  the  United  States  circuit  court,  before  Hon.  Justice 
John  McLean,  a  former  postmaster-general.  Hon.  Henry 
Stanberry,  afterwards  attorney-general  under  President  John- 
son, was  to  conduct  the  prosecution.  When  postmaster-gen- 
eral, Justice  McLean  drafted  the  statute  under  which  the  in- 
dictments in  the  present  case  were  to  be  found. 

After  the  grand  jury  had  presented  a  true  bill  and  the  pris- 
oner had  been  arraigned,  on  motion  of  counsel  the  trial  was 


46  THE    EXILE. 

postponed  until  the  next  term  of  the  court,  and  the  bail  re- 
duced to  ten  thousand  dollars.  This  was  on  the  i5th  of  Oc- 
tober. On  the  1 7th  of  the  following  January,  several  friends 
of  the  defendant  entered  into  the  required  recognizance,  when 
he  was  discharged  from  custody. 

At  the  April  term  the  accused  failed  to  appear,  when  the 
court  ordered  the  recognizance  to  be  forfeited.  All  efforts  of 
the  sureties  to  have  the  order  revoked  and  the  forfeiture  res- 
pited till  the  October  term  proved  unavailing,  so  that  the 
friends  of  the  robber  were  compelled  to  pay  dearly  for  their 
confidence  in  his  treacherous  promises. 

Shortly  after  his  release  on  bail,  Hinton  departed  from  Co- 
lumbus, and  for  several  weeks  no  tidings  came  from  him. 
Early  in  April,  however,  a  letter  was  received  from  him  by 
one  of  the  bondsmen,  in  which  he  wrote,  "  I  have  not  the 
heart  to  appear  for  trial,  and  before  this  reaches  you, the  tur- 
bulent waters  of  the  angry  Mississippi  will  be  rolling  over  my 
dead  body."  The  writer  gave  sundry  directions  in  regard  to 
his  affairs,  and  made  one  or  two  trifling  requests  of  the  friends 
who  had  stood  by  him  in  trouble. 

The  missive,  adroitly  contrived  to  mislead,  satisfied  some 
that  the  fugitive  had  really  committed  suicide  ;  but  Mr. 
Shallcross,  whose  experience  and  habits  of  mental  analysis 
enabled  him  to  see  readily  through  the  artifice,  became  con- 
vinced that  instead  of  a  watery  grave  the  robber  was  seek- 
ing, by  way  of  the  Mississippi,  an  escape  from  the  country 
to  Mexico  or  Cuba.  He  accordingly  embarked  on  the  "Fa- 
ther of  Waters  :'  in  the  month  of  May,  and  arrived  at  New 
Orleans  the  ist  of  June.  Being  well  acquainted  with  the 
chirography  of  Hinton,  he  naturally  looked  to  the  registers  of 
the  various  hotels  for  tokens  of  his  presence.  Beginning  at 
the  St.  Charles,  and  running  back  through  the  record,  he 
soon  found  the  name  of  "  O.  H.  Hall,"  in  the  irregular,  rigid, 
and  perfectly  familiar  hand  of  the  man  whom  he  was  hunting. 

The  St.  Charles  was  then  kept  by  Hall  and  Hildreth. 
Calling  the  attention  of  the  former  to  the  name  on  the  regis- 


SAILING    UNDER    FALSE    COLORS. 


47 


ter,  the  detective  inquired  whether  the  gentleman  was  a  rela- 
tive or  acquaintance.  The  proprietor  replied  that  he  remem- 
bered the  man,  but  had  no  personal  acquaintance  with  him, 
adding,  further,  that,  he  left  the  hotel  abruptly  some  weeks 
before. 

Having  discovered  the  alias  of  the  fugitive,  the  officer  saun- 
tered out,  to  devise  at  leisure  new  plans  for  continuing  the 
chase,  when  he  fortunately  met  an  old  acquaintance,  Mr. 


" '  Did  you  know  that  he  was  under  arrest  for  robbing  the  mails  ? '  asked 

the  officer." 

Wilson  Dales,  a  steamboat  agent,  and  formerly  a  steamboat 
clerk,  in  which  capacity  he  had  traveled  upon  the  Mississippi 
and  Ohio  till  he  knew  almost  every  one  of  any  prominence  in 
the  valleys  of  both  rivers.  The  first  exclamation  of  Dales 
was,  "  Why,  Shallcross,  whom  on  earth  are  you  after  away 
down  here  ?  " 

The   detective  was  delighted  to  meet  the  gentleman,  and 


48  THE    EXILE. 

after  conversing  for  a  few  minutes  on  indifferent  topics  by 
way  of  preparation,  inquired,  "  Do  you  know  General  Otho 
Hinton,  of  Columbus,  Ohio?" 

"Yes,"  replied  Dales  ;  "I  saw  him  a  few  weeks  ago  at  the 
St.  Charles,  and  spoke  to  him,  but  he  refused  to  recognize  me 
or  acknowledge  the  acquaintanceship.  His  conduct  struck 
me  as  very  strange,  for  I  was  sure  that  I  could  not  be  mis- 
taken. He  left  the  house  soon  after,  and  I  have  not  seen  or 
heard  of  him  since." 

"  Did  you  know  that  he  was  under  arrest  for  robbing  the 
mails?  "  asked  the  officer. 

"Yes,"  answered  the  steamboat  agent;  "I  read  something 
about  it  in  the  papers,  and  was  under  the  impression  that  he 
had  probably  broken  jail,  and  was  trying  to  elude  pursuit.  I 
mentioned  the  matter  to  one  of  the  hotel  proprietors,  who  said 
that  my  recognition  of  the  man  had  cost  them  a  customer,  as 
he  left  immediately  afterwards." 

The  special  agent  then  visited  the  other  hotels  seriatim, 
and  found  upon  the  register  of  the  St.  Louis  the  name  of  "  O. 
H.  Hitchcock"  in  the  ill-disguised  writing  of  Hinton.  Em- 
ployed here  as  porters  were  a  wide-awake  Irishman  and 
good-natured  negro,  whose  favorable  consideration  the  officer 
soon  won  by  judicious  attentions.  Both  were  questioned  in 
reference  to  "Hitchcock,"  whose  striking  appearance  could 
easily  be  described  and  was  likely  to  be  remembered.  Both 
recollected  the  man,  but  neither  could  tell  at  first  the  direction 
of  his  departure.  The  Irishman  thought  he  took  passage  for 
Mobile,  while  the  negro  was  equally  confident  that  he  left  by 
an  up-river  boat.  On  more  mature  reflection,  however,  aided 
by  sundry  suggestions  from  the  special  agent,  the  negro  grad- 
ually recalled  the  circumstances,  and  declared  that  the  gentle- 
man sailed  on  the  steamer  "Falcon,"  for  Cuba. 

A  day  or  two  later  the  Falcon  returned  to  New  Orleans, 
when  Mr.  Shallcross  learned  from  the  purser  that  a  person 
answering  exactly  to  the  description  of  Hinton,  though  travel- 
ing under  a  different  name,  had  taken  passage  on  the  outward 


A   SUCCESSFUL    HUNT. 


49 


trip,  and  was  then  in  Havana.  Aware  that  no  extradition 
treaty  existed  between  the  United  States  and  Spanish  govern- 
ments, whereby  a  fugitive  from  justice  could  be  demanded  of 
the  Cuban  authorities,  the  officer  here  desisted  from  further 
pursuit,  notifying  the  department  by  mail  of  the  continued 
existence  and  present  refuge  of  the  escaped  robber. 

Other  matters  arose  to  engross  the  attention  of  the  special 
agent,  and  though  anxious  to  resume  the  trail,  he  waited  sev- 


"  The  negro  gradually  recalled  the  circumstances." 

eral  months  before  finding  a  suitable  opportunity.  In  Febru- 
ary, 1852,  while  engaged  in  the  investigation  of  certain  cases 
in  the  vicinity  of  Charleston,  S.  C.,  he  improved  an  interval 
of  comparative  leisure  to  make  a  trip  to  Havana  on  the  steamer 
Isabel,  which  then  plied  regularly  between  the  two  ports. 
On  landing,  the  detective  adopted  a  disguise,  and  made  the 
rounds  of  the  city  in  search  of  the  exile.  The  hunt  was 
thorough,  and  was  rewarded  with  success.  Hinton  had  be- 

4 


50  THE    EXILE. 

come  the  proprietor  of  a  tobacco  store,  and  employed  a  num- 
ber of  hands  in  the  manufacture  of  cigars.  Satisfied  that  his 
disguise  would  prevent  recognition,  the  officer  did  not  hesitate 
to  enter  the  establishment  and  engage  the  owner  in  conversa- 
tion, making  inquiries  in  regard  to  certain  brands  of  cigars, 
and  intimating  a  desire  to  purchase  quite  a  large  quantity 
before  the  sailing  of  the  Isabel  for  the  States,  provided  prices 


"  The  dealer  had  no  suspicion  whatever  of  the  identity  of  the  proposed 

customer." 

could  be  made  satisfactory.  The  dealer  having  no  suspicion 
whatever  of  the  identity  of  the  proposed  customer,  entered 
into  the  negotiation  without  the  slightest  constraint. 

The  last  twelve  months  had  made  noticeable  changes  in  the 
appearance  of  the  fugitive.  During  the  period  his  hair  had 
turned  gray,  and  the  lustre  had  faded  from  his  eyes.  The 
figure,  then  erect,  had  become  stooping,  and  the  step,  then 
firm  and  resolute,  had  given  place  to  a  timorous,  temporizing 


FEARFUL   OF   COMPLICATIONS.  5.1 

shuffle.  It  was  like  the  change  produced  by  a  sudden  stroke 
of  paralysis  at  a  time  of  high  health.  Yet  it  was  evident  that 
w  the  turbulent  waters  of  the  angry  Mississippi "  had  never 
rolled  over  the  dead  body  of  the  robber.  The  threat  of  sui- 
cide was,  doubtless,  intended  as  a  blind ;  and  a  clumsy  one  it 
proved,  revealing  to  the  detective  the  very  purpose  it  was 
designed  to  cover. 

Having  matured  a  plan,  the  officer  called  upon  Mr.  Camp- 
bell, United  States  consul  at  Havana,  to  consult  in  reference  to 
the  possibility  or  expediency  of  securing  the  person  of  the  crim- 
inal. That  gentleman  promptly  took  the  ground  that,  as  no 
extradition  treaty  existed  between  the  American  and  Spanish 
governments,  Hinton  could  not  be  compelled  to  return,  and 
that  any  attempt  to  accomplish  this  object  by  force  or  artifice 
would  result  in  disagreeable  complications  between  the  two 
powers,  and  hence  could  not  for  a  moment  be  countenanced. 
In  case  such  a  plan  was  seriously  entertained  in  any  quarter, 
it  would  become  his  duty,  as  the  representative  of  the  United 
States,  to  interpose  actively  for  the  protection  of  the  fugitive. 

With  the  facilities  at  his  command,  the  special  agent  could 
easily  have  decoyed  Hinton  on  board  the  steamer,  and  taken 
him  home  a  prisoner,  but  acting  on  the  advice  of  the  consul, 
and  also  on  his  own  better  judgment,  he  determined  to  aban- 
don the  enterprise,  and  accordingly  returned  to  Charleston. 

On  the  return  voyage,  the  officer  arranged  with  the  purser 
of  the  Isabel  to  visit  Hinton's  establishment  every  trip,  and  to 
notify  him  at  once  of  any  changes  or  other  unusual  move- 
ments. 

Not  many  months  later  a  formidable  insurrection  broke  out 
in  Cuba,  attended  with  a  feeling  of  general  disquiet  and  un- 
certainty. Rumors  were  rife  that  the  island  was  about  to  be 
ceded  to  the  United  States.  During  the  excitement,  Hinton 
sold  out  his  interests,  and  left  for  parts  unknown.  The  facts 
were  promptly  reported  to  Mr.  Shallcross  by  the  purser  of  the 
Isabel.  For  a  time  nothing  whatever  was  heard  of  the  fugi- 
tive, but  the  detective  kept  the  matter  in  mind,  and  as  a 


52  THE    EXILE. 

reward  for  his  perseverance  succeeded  in  locating  him  on  the 
Columbia  River,  in  Oregon,  where  he  was  engaged  in  keep- 
ing a  hotel  and  running  a  ferry. 

This  information  was  communicated  through  the  post-office 
department  to  the  United  States  district  attorney,  at  Columbus, 
Ohio.  Measures  were  promptly  taken  to  effect  the  capture  of 
Hinton,  the  necessary  papers,  at  the  earnest  solicitation  of  the 
bondsmen,  who  were  anxious,  if  possible,  to  recover  the  ten 
thousand  dollars  lost  through  his  treachery,  being  placed  in 
the  hands  of  one  Mills,  who  was  specially  deputized  to  make 
the  arrest.  The  selection  proved  exceedingly  unfortunate. 
Armed  with  authority  to  execute  an  important  trust,  for  which 
his  indiscretion  and  lack  of  judgment  totally  unfitted  him,  the 
deputy  started  for  the  Pacific  slope,  with  loud  boasts  that  he 
would  soon  return  with  Hinton  a  prisoner.  So  pervasive  and 
full  was  the  determination,  that  it  bubbled  over  on  all  occa- 
sions, Mills  losing  no  opportunity  to  tell  who  he  was  and  to 
explain  the  object  of  his  mission.  As  might  have  been  fore- 
seen, the  news  of  his  approach  preceded  him  ;  and  on  arriving 
at  the  Columbia  River,  he  found  that  the  hotel  and  ferry  had 
passed  into  the  hands  of  another  owner,  and  that  the  late  pro- 
prietor had  vanished  as  suddenly  as  he  came. 

Forewarned  of  the  approaching  danger,  Hinton  hastily  dis- 
posed of  his  property  in  Oregon,  and  fled  to  the  Sandwich 
Islands.  At  that  time  there  was  no  extradition  treaty  between 
the  American  and  Hawaiian  governments,  so  that  the  exile 
seemed  to  be  safe  from  further  pursuit.  Soon  after,  however, 
Mr.  Squires,  our  consul  at  Honolulu,  attempted  to  open 
negotiations  for  the  annexation  of  the  Sandwich  Islands  to  the 
United  States.  The  project  so  alarmed  Hinton  that  he  lost 
no  time  in  sailing  for  Australia,  where  definite  trace  of  him 
was  soon  lost. 

He  is  believed  to  have  led  an  obscure  and  wretched  life, 
dreading  to  meet  men,  if  not  dreaded  by  them.  A  few  years 
later,  death  terminated  the  earthly  miseries  of  the  exile,  and 
his  remains  were  borne  to  the  grave  by  strangers. 


•9 


exceedingly  small  per- 
centage of  the  men,  com- 
missioned from  time  to 
time  as  special  agents  of 
the  post-office  department, 
grow  into  efficient  and  valu- 
able officers.  To  all  posi- 
tions controlled  more  or  less 
by  political  influences  many 
unfit  applicants  gain  admis- 
sion by  virtue  of  strong  con- 
nections and  stronger  impor- 
tunities. Where  the  duties 
are  simple  and  run  in  the 
beaten  ruts  of  routine,  they 
may  accomplish  the  pre- 
scribed term  of  service  with- 
out proving  noticeable  fail- 
ures. Others,  more  able 
and  earnest,  furnish  the  pow- 
er to  drive  the  machinery, 

while   they  attend  with   passable   intelligence   to   the   minor 

details. 

But  the  work  of  a  special  agent  is  peculiar  and  difficult, 

comparatively  few  possessing  the  qualities  which  enable  them 


The  Lonely  Ride. 


54  BREAKING    IN. 

to  achieve  in  it  even  a  tolerable  degree  of  success.  Men 
eminently  fitted  to  shine  in  the  pulpit,  at  the  bar,  or  on  the 
bench,  might  fail  lamentably  in  efforts  to  gather  up  and  inter- 
pret the  clues  that  lead  through  labyrinthine  windings  to  the 
secrets  hidden  in  the  mind  of  the  wily  criminal.  In  addition 
to  a  kind  of  clairvoyant  insight  into  the  operations  of  a  guilty 
soul,  a  master  in  the  art  of  detection  must  possess  a  keenness 
of  attention  that  permits  nothing,  however  minute,  to  escape 
its  observation,  a  sagacity  in  construing  the  meaning  of  facts 
that  rarely  blunders,  a  resolution  that  never  falters,  a  persever- 
ance that  never  tires,  and  often  a  courage  that  triumphs  over 
dangers  by  a  quality  of  transcendent  heroism. 

A  character  so  well  furnished  with  the  essential  attributes 
of  a  detective  usually  finds  more  congenial  and  remunerative 
employment.  Many  who  seek  the  places  with  most  unrea- 
sonable urgency,  and  with  the  most  formidable  array  of 
indorsements,  are  persons  that  have  fallen  to  the  ground  in 
the  battle  of  life,  unable  to  maintain  a  foothold  under  a  sys- 
tem of  free  competition.  If  successful  in  securing  admission 
to  the  ranks,  they  soon  discover  their  incapacity,  and,  con- 
scious of  total  unfitness  for  the  work,  bend  their  available 
energies  to  the  task  of  clinging  as  long  as  possible  to  the  emol- 
uments of  the  office.  Gradually  they  drop  off  from  sheer  lack 
of  strength  to  hold  on  longer.  Prior  to  the  recent  great 
improvement  in  the  personnel  of  the  force,  a  few  agents  of 
rare  gifts  and  great  experience  actually  performed  nine-tenths 
of  the  important  labor. 

This  chapter  will  contain  a  sketch  of  the  early  efforts, 
discouragements,  and  triumphs  of  one  of  the  most  remark- 
able men  who  have  ever  done  good  and  valiant  service  for 
the  post-office  department  —  Mr.  John  B.  Furay,  of  Omaha, 
Nebraska.  His  labors,  almost  herculean  both  in  hardship 
and  achievement,  have  been  confined  to  the  frontier,  several 
of  the  most  important  arrests  effected  by  him  having  been 
made  on  the  slopes  of  the  Rocky  Mountains. 

His  method  of  procedure  is  somewhat  peculiar,  as  in  many 


SERVING   AN    APPRENTICESHIP.  55 

instances,  after  clearing  away  every  doubt  from  his  own 
mind,  he  relies  with  what  would  seem  to  be  the  most  auda- 
cious self-assurance  on  making  the  evidence  for  conviction 
out  of  the  criminal  himself. 

Mr.  Furay  was  appointed  special  agent  of  the  post-office 
department  in  August,  1870.  For  the  first  few  months  his 
efforts,  though  untiring,  were  misdirected  and  unsatisfactory. 
In  describing  the  situation,  he  writes:  "When  I  was  new 
and  green  I  acted  timidly,  and  I  should  always  have  acted 
so,  as  I  feel,  had  my  good  fortune  not  thrown  me  with 
Colonel  Fred  W.  Schaurte  in  the  spring  of  1871.  I  have 
often  looked  back  at  some  of  the  old  cases  turned  over  to  me 
by  my  predecessor,  and  have  felt  ashamed  of  how  I  threw 
them  away  through  pure  greenness  and  timidity.  But  I 
went  down  to  St.  Louis  under  orders  to  work  with  Colonel 
Schaurte  for  ninety  days,  and  from  him  I  learned  how  it  was 
done." 

Prior  to  this  short  but  exceedingly  profitable  apprenticeship 
to  Colonel  Schaurte,  he  groped  in  the  dark,  playing  the  game 
of  blindman's-bufF  with  eyes  bandaged,  and  caught  no  one. 
To  use  his  own  words :  "  Although  I  had  plenty  of  opportu- 
nity, a  perfect  surfdt  of  good  cases,  and  my  district  full  of 
good  thieves  as  active  and  saucy  as  mosquitoes,  and  although 
I  worked  hard  enough,  — did  too  much,  in  fact,  — still  I  could 
not  capture  anybody.  I  could  figure  down  pretty  generally 
who  it  was,  but  I  could  not  get  the  evidence  on  them.  I 
found  that  the  thieves  in  those  days,  where  they  stole  from 
the  mails,  made  it  a  specialty  to  cover  up  their  tracks  as 
well  as  possible,  and  I  was  disposed  to  regard  that  the  prob- 
lem of  how  to  capture  them  was  one  that  could  not  possibly 
be  solved." 

Colonel  Schaurte  received  the  novice  with  characteristic 
urbanity  and  kindness,  reviewing  critically  the  several  barren 
investigations  that  made  up  the  record  of  the  few  previous 
months,  and  pointing  out  the  causes  of  failure.  Having  ex- 
plained the  theory  of  success,  he  placed  in  the  hands  of  Mr. 


56  BREAKING    IN. 

Furay  the  papers  relating  to  the  loss  at  different  times  of 
about  fifty  registered  packages,  on  the  route  between  Ironton, 
Missouri,  and  Pocahontas,  Arkansas, — Ironton  being  then 
the  southern  terminus  of  the  line  of  railway  which  has  since 
been  extended  to  Houston,  Texas.  Proceeding  to  Ironton 
incognito ,  the  anxious  learner  procured  a  good  saddle-horse, 
and  made  the  entire  trip,  the  distance  being  about  one  hun- 
dred and  thirty  miles  each  way.  It  was  during  the  season 
of  the  spring  freshets,  and  it  rained  continuously.  Many  of 
the  streams  could  only  be  crossed  by  swimming  the  horse, 
as  they  were  heavily  swollen  and  without  bridges. 

The  regulations  of  the  department  require  each  post-office 
to  keep  a  record  of  all  registered  packages  passing  through 
it.  The  transit  sheet  provides  blank  spaces  for  a  full  descrip- 
tion of  each  package,  and  for  the  dates  of  its  arrival  and 
departure.  As  an  additional  security,  adjoining  offices  are 
also  required  to  exchange  receipts  for  the  same.  If  a  dis- 
honest postmaster  purloins  a  letter,  he  may  claim  that  he  sent 
it  forward  in  due  course  of  mail,  and  the  issue  is  narrowed  to 
a  question  of  veracity  between  him  and  the  office  that  failed 
to  receive  it. 

The  special  agent  discovered  that  only  one  or  two  of  the 
many  offices  between  Ironton  and  Pocahontas  pretended  to 
keep  any  record  whatever  of  registered  matter,  and  at  these 
the  work  was  very  imperfectly  done.  Similar  neglect  pre- 
vailed in  regard  to  the  interchange  of  receipts.  Owing  to 
the  disregard  of  the  instructions  of  the  department,  no  record 
existed  to  indicate  at  what  locality  on  the  long  route  the 
letters  disappeared. 

The  scholar  returned  to  St.  Louis  from  the  land  of  floods 
to  report  progress.  With  words  of  kindly  encouragement,  he 
was  advised  to  repeat  the  trip,  and  to  scrutinize  every  point 
closely.  On  the  second  expedition  he  discovered  that  the 
mail-pouches  in  use  were  badly  worn,  and  telegraphed  to  St. 
Louis  for  a  supply  of  new  ones,  which  were  promptly  fur- 
nished. Having  accomplished  so  much  he  reported  again  at 


"THE  GAL  is  A  FOOL  FOR  IT."  57 

headquarters,  badly  discouraged  at  the  slow  and  barren  pro- 
gress of  the  hunt.  He  was  advised  to  go  back  a  third  time 
with  the  special  view  of  locating  the  losses,  as  about  the  only 
fact  thus  far  developed  was  the  disagreeable  one  that  the 
letters  went  in  at  one  end  and  failed  to  come  out  at  the  other, 
a  hundred  and  thirty  miles  away. 

The  third  expedition  proved  much  more  fruitful  than  its 
predecessors.  The  mail  was  carried  on  horseback.  On  reach- 
ing the  route,  the  agent  learned  that  the  losses  ceased  abruptly 
with  the  introduction  of  the  new  pouches.  This  indicated 
that  the  robberies  were  committed  by  one  of  the  riders,  as 
postmasters  having  access  to  the  entire  mail  could  steal 
as  well  with  new  pouches  as  with  old  ones.  He  further 
learned  that  one  of  the  riders  had  lately  quit  the  business, 
leaving  two  younger  brothers  to  perform  the  work,  the  three 
having  been  previously  employed  to  "ride  mail,"  as  it  is 
called  in  that  country,  by  their  father,  a  sub-contractor  on  a 
part  of  the  route.  Yet  the  theory  that  the  depredations  were 
committed  by  one  of  the  riders  failed  to  explain  the  facts,  for 
in  several  instances  packages  going  in  the  same  direction  were 
stolen  on  two  consecutive  days  from  the  custody  of  different 
brothers.  However,  the  special  agent  decided  to  investigate 
the  family,  and  accordingly  proceeded  to  a  settlement  on  the 
Big  Black  River,  near  which  Benjamin,  the  eldest  of  the 
three,  was  then  at  work.  In  a  short  time  he  heard  all  the 
gossip  of  the  neighborhood,  and  among  the  rest  that  Ben  had 
lately  quarrelled  with  a  young  woman  to  whom  he  had  been 
engaged.  In  commenting  on  the  situation,  an  unsuspicious 
neighbor  observed,  "the  gal  is  a  fool  for  it,  as  Ben  is  right 
peart,  and  for  a  young  man  has  saved  up  a  right  smart  chance 
of  money,  as  I  have  heern  tell." 

The  officer  then  paid  his  respects  to  the  mother  of  the 
maiden  whose  affections  were  supposed  to  have  soured  into 
hate.  After  a  long  skirmish,  the  old  lady  admitted  that  for 
several  months  her  daughter  had  held  for  Ben  two  one-hun- 
dred-dollar bills,  which  he  claimed  to  have  won  at  "chuck- 


BREAKING    IN, 


a- luck,"  in  Pocahontas. 
A  few  days  before,  he 
called  for  the  money  in 
consequence  of  some  mis- 
understanding, and  broke 
the  compact  with  the  girl. 
As  the  wrath  of  the  mat- 
ron seemed  to  afford  an 

•'After  a  long  skirmish,  the  old  lady  admitted    nTTinip  nlPHo-P   nf  firMitv 
that  for  several  months  her  daughter  had    '  lltv» 

held  for  Ben  two  one-hundred-dollar  bills."    the  agent,  after  enjoining 

the  most  solemn  secrecy, 

revealed  his  official  character  and  the  object  of  his  visit.  This 
act  of  confidence  he  soon  had  occasion  to  record  as  "  blunder 
number  one.'* 

Having  read  in  the  Constitution  that  no  person  was  to  be 
deprived  of  liberty  without  w  due  process  of  law,"  the  officer 
galloped  to  the  house  of  a  "  squire,"  seven  miles  distant,  for 
the  purpose  of  filing  an  information  and  procuring  a  warrant. 
The  caution  observed  in  approaching  the  suspected  criminal 
he  also  set  down  as  "blunder  number  two,"  and  learned  to  act 
thencefonvard,  in  dealing  with  robbers,  with  the  most  decisive 
promptitude. 

From  time  immemorial,  mothers-in-law  have  been  unmerci- 
fully pelted  with  witless  jests  and  pointless  sneers  ;  but,  in  this 


AN    IRATE    FEMALE    RELENTS. 


59 


instance,  during  the  brief  absence  of  the  officer,  the  heart  of 
the  rejected  candidate  for  that  endearing  relationship  warmed 


The  late  mail  rider  did  not  wait  for  a  second  warning,  but> 
mounting  a  fleet  steed,  plunged  into  the  forest." 

toward  the  lost  Benjamin,  and  she  sent  him 
word  that  an  agent  of  the  government  was  at 
his  heels.  The  late  "  mail-rider  "  did  not  wait 
for  a  second  warning,  but,  mounting  a  fleet 
steed,  plunged  into  the  forest.  On  coming  up 
an  hour  later,  how  lonesome  the  officer  felt  to 
be  deprived  of  the  companionship  of  the  one  whom  he  had 
sought  so  long  and  so  far !  How  he  cursed  the  vain,  mis- 
leading philosophy  of  the  poet  who  sang,  — 

'*  Heaven  has  no  rage  like  love  to  hatred  turned, 
Nor  hell  a  fury  like  a  woman  scorned ! " 

Too  late  he  discovered  that  the  "  process  of  law "  came  in  at 
the  wrong  time  and  in  the  wrong  place. 

However,  without  wasting  a  moment  in  idle  regrets,  he 
hurried  to  Cane  Creek,  ten  miles  distant,  and  there  procured 
the  pilotage  of  the  postmaster,  who  knew  the  forests  thor- 


60  BREAKING    IN. 

oughly.  The  two  rode  the  entire  night,  changing  horses 
three  times.  As  they  cantered  along,  discussing  the  robber- 
ies, the  postmaster  recalled  a  particular  week  when  Ben  was 
not  on  the  route,  yet,  as  shown  by  the  papers,  several  losses 
occurred  during  the  time.  Hence  he  could  not  be  the  only 
thief.  There  must  be  another,  and  the  question  of  paramount 
importance  was  to  determine  \vho.  Could  it  be  one  of  the 
other  brothers?  The  family-tree  had  an  unsavory  reputation. 
Was  it  true  that  all  the  fruit  was  equally  bad  ? 

At  nine  o'clock  in  the  morning,  after  making  a  circuit  of 
many  miles  in  luckless  pursuit  of  the  eldest  brother,  the 
equestrians  debouched  on  the  main  highway,  and  sauntered 
leisurely  along  to  meet  the  approaching  rider,  who  proved  to 
be  the  youngest  of  the  ill-starred  trio.  Without  uttering  a 
word,  the  officer  seized  the  bridle  of  the  horse,  and,  having 
led  it  a  short  distance  to  one  side,  pulled  out  a  pair  of  hand- 
cuffs and  ordered  the  lad  to  dismount.  The  boy  slid  to  the 
ground,  half  demented  from  fright. 

"Do  you  know  who  I  am?"  inquired  the  special  agent, 
coolly  unlocking  the  shackles. 

"  No,  sir,"  was  the  trembling  response.  * 

"  Have  you  ever  heard  of  a  detective  ?  "  continued  the  offi- 
cer, severely. 

"Yes,  sir,  I  reckon  I  have." 

"  Did  you  ever  see  one  ?  " 

"  No-o-o,  I  reckon  not." 

"Then  look  at  me,"  said  the  fierce  stranger;  "I  am  the 
great  detective  of  America.  No  mail-robber  ever  gets  awray 
from  me.  Now,  my  boy,  you  have  been  robbing  the  mails. 
I  know  it ;  you  know  it ;  in  a  little  while  everybody  will  know 
it.  What  did  you  do  with  the  packages  ?  " 

The  boy  was  about  to  stammer  forth  a  denial,  when  the  offi- 
cer broke  in,  "Come,  hush,  don't  lie  to  me!  You  might 
deceive  some  people,  but  remember  I  am  a  detective.  Don't 
you  know  a  detective  can  see  right  through  you?  What,  I 
say,  did  you  do  with  the  packages?  Quick,  don't  lie  again  ! " 


A   FRIGHTENED    THIEF. 


6l 


The  terrified  delinquent  tried  to  fall  back  a  little  as  if  to  gain 
a  moment  for  reflection,  but  the  officer,  bending  over  him  with 
an  eye  so  fierce  and  searching  that  its  boasted  power  seemed 
to  do  scant  justice  to  the  reality,  continued,  with  overwhelm- 
ing precipitancy,  "Come,  quick,  there's  not  a  minute  to  be 
lost ! " 


cG 


vv/ 


"No  mail  robber  ever  gets  away  from  me.     Now,  my  boy,  you  have  been 
robbing  the  mails." 

"Well,"  said  the  lad,  cowering  under  that  pair  of  terrible 
orbs,  "  I'll  —  I'll  tell  the  truth.  I  burned  the  most  of  them." 

With  him  the  fight  was  over,  and  resistance  at  an  end.  The 
agent  immediately  dropped  the  air  of  seventy,  and  took  the 


62 


BREAKING    IN. 


opposite  tack.  W'O,  James,"  he  resumed,  w  how  sorry  I  am 
that  you  burned  them  !  A  good  many  of  them  contained 
papers  which  you  could  not  use,  but  which  are  very  valuable 
to  the  poor  people  who  sent  them.  For  their  sake  I  hoped 

you  would  not  destroy  what 
could  do  you  no  good." 

"Well,"  answered  the 
lad ,  "  they  are  not  all 
burned,  and  I'll  show  you 
where  they  are  hid." 

Another  rider  was  found 
to  complete  the  trip,  and 
with  James  in  custody,  the 
equestrians  started  for  the 
place  where  the  booty  was 
secreted.  On  the  way  the 
detective  coaxed,  threat- 
ened, and  pitied  by  turns, 
till  the  boy  admitted  that 
the  three  brothers,  Benja- 
min, William,  and  himself, 


"  The  rifled  packages,  hidden  in  hollow  trees  and  under  old  stumps,  were 
scattered  along  the  road  for  the  distance  of  thirty-five  miles." 

were  all  engaged  in  the  robberies.  The  rifled  packages,  hid- 
den in  hollow  trees  and  under  old  stumps,  were  scattered 
along  the  road  for  the  distance  of  thirty-five  miles,  the  thief 
pointing  out  the  places  of  concealment. 

Having  accomplished  so  much,  they  turned  back  to  cap- 


THIRTY-SIX    HOURS    IN    THE    SADDLE.  63 

ture  William,  who  was  approaching  from  the  south.  When 
charged  with  the  crime,  he  at  first  denied  it  stoutly ;  but 
James,  having  already  divulged  the  guilty  secret,  advised  his 
brother  to  follow  the  good  example ;  and  beset  thus  on  both 
sides,  the  culprit  held  out  but  a  few  moments.  Having  eased 
his  conscience  by  confession,  William,  in  turn,  conducted  the 
party  to  a  mausoleum  of  stolen  treasures  appropriated  to  his 
individual  use,  where  he  also  resurrected  a  number  of  rifled 
packages. 

As  the  mail  was  carried  on  horseback,  the  thieves  had  con- 
trived to  keep  a  hole  on  the  inner  side  of  each  pouch,  partially 
concealed  by  the  folds,  which  was  sewed  up  with  a  "whang" 
of  leather.  The  nip  would  not  be  noticed  except  on  close 
examination,  and  even  then,  as  it  appeared  to  be  securely 
closed,  would  hardly  attract  attention. 

At  dark  the  motley  company  reached  Cane  Creek,  the  spe- 
cial agent  having  been  in  the  saddle  for  thirty-six  consecutive 
hours.  Leaving  the  prisoners  in  charge  of  a  guard,  and  pro- 
curing a  change  of  horses,  he  pressed  on  twenty-one  miles 
further,  to  the  house  of  an  uncle  of  the  boys,  in  quest  of  the 
eldest  brother  who  had  most  of  the  stolen  property.  The 
fugitive,  however,  was  not  there  or  in  the  neighborhood,  but 
had  fled  across  the  country  toward  the  southwest,  with  a  start 
of  twenty-four  hours.  Seeing  the  futility  of  prolonging  the 
chase,  he  set  out  to  return  to  Cane  Creek  the  same  night,  but, 
overpowered  by  fatigue,  dropped  asleep  on  the  road,  and  fell 
from  the  horse.  He  did  not  attempt  to  proceed  further,  but 
making  a  bed  under  a  stack  of  straw,  slept  till  morning. 

Benjamin  succeeded  in  effecting  his  escape.  The  other 
two  brothers  were  taken  to  Ironton  before  a  United  States 
commissioner,  who  bound  them  over  for  trial.  They  were 
promptly  indicted,  and,  when  arraigned,  pleaded  guilty.  As 
neither  could  read  or  write,  they  were  sentenced  to  a  term  of 
three  years  in  the  House  of  Refuge.  At  the  end  of  eighteen 
months,  William  ran  away ;  and  six  months  later,  James  fol- 
lowed his  example.  At  the  latest  accounts  the  three  brothers 


64 


BREAKING    IN. 


"  William,  in  turn,  conducted  the  party  to  a  mausoleum  of 
stolen  treasures." 

were  living  in  a  state  of  outlawry  in  a  remote  part  of  Texas, 
the  terror  and  scourge  of  the  country  for  many  miles  around. 
The  successful  issue  of  this  case  cured  the  timidity  of  the 
novice,  causing  him  to  rely  with  absolute  self-confidence  upon 
the  extent  and  fertility  of  his  own  resources  in  subsequent 
efforts  to  rid  the  service  of  criminals.  Before  the  expiration 
of  the  one  hundred  days  of  apprenticeship,  he  made  three 
other  arrests,  though  neither  of  the  cases  presented  any  fea- 
tures of  marked  interest. 


A   MYSTERIOUS    DISAPPEARANCE.  65 

In  the  fall  of  1871,  Mr.  Furay  was  directed  to  go  to 
Kansas  to  assist  temporarily  the  special  agent  in  that  state. 
Among  the  papers  placed  in  his  hands  for  investigation  were 
those  relating  to  the  loss  of  two  registered  packages  for- 
warded from  St.  Louis  on  the  2d  and  5th  of  December,  1870, 
and  directed  respectively  to  Elk  City  and  Elk  Falls,  Kansas. 
From  Humboldt,  the  railroad  town  through  which  both  those 
offices  received  their  mails  from  the  outside  world,  the  two 
packages  were  sent  westward  on  the  7th,  and  reached  Eureka, 
fifty-five  miles  distant,  the  same  day.  At  that  time,  through 
some  confusion  in  the  reorganization  of  routes,  the  offices, 
both  at  Elk  Falls  and  Elk  City,  were  left  without  supply.  On 
the  22d  of  December,  the  packages  were  forwarded  from 
Eureka  to  New  Albany  in  the  direction  of  their  destination, 
and  the  postmaster  at  that  point,  having  no  established  com- 
munication with  either  office,  returned  them  to  the  railroad, 
so  that,  after  a  circuit  of  over  one  hundred  miles  through  the 
interior,  they  reached  Humboldt  the  second  time  on  the  27th. 
On  the  2pth  the  packages  were  again  dispatched  to  Eureka. 

Whenever  registered  letters  are  lost,  and  the  records  are  prop- 
erly kept,  the  department,  by  means  of  "tracers,"  can  determine 
where  they  disappear.  Each  office  through  which  the  missing 
package  passed  is  required  to  indorse  on  the  tracer  the  dates 
of  its  arrival  and  departure,  and  to  give  the  name  and  official 
description  of  the  party  whose  receipt  is  held  for  it. 

As  both  packages  failed  to  reach  the  offices  of  destination, 
half  a  dozen  tracers  were  sent  out  during  the  next  few  months. 
Most  of  them  were  suppressed  somewhere  on  the  route.  Af- 
ter long  delay  and  many  inquiries,  two  finally  completed  the 
circuit,  and  were  returned  to  the  special  agent,  but  contributed 
little  toward  the  elucidation  of  the  subject.  From  Humboldt 
to  Eureka  they  followed  the  packages  on  the  second  trip,  or 
the  one  made  December  2pth.  The  office  at  Eureka  claimed 
to  have  sent  them  on  by  the  next  mail,  and  to  hold  the  receipt 
of  the  postmaster  at  New  Albany ;  but  the  latter  persisted  in 
going  back  to  the  record  of  the  first  trip,  and  in  replying  to 

5 


66 


BREAKING    IN. 


all  interrogatories  with  the  answer  that  they  passed  through  his 
hands  on  the  22d. 

In  September,  eight  months  after  the  occurrence  of  the 
losses,  Mr.  Furay  set  out  on  a  tour  over  the  several  routes, 
with  the  view  of  ascertaining,  if  possible,  who  was  the  thief. 
Reaching  Eureka  on  the  evening  of  the  nth,  he  proceeded 
to  examine  the  records,  and  make  a  critical  survey  of  the 
situation.  The  postmaster,  who  was  also  the  editor  of  the 


1  Here  is  but  one,"  remarked  the  agent.    "  I  must  have  the  other  also." 


village  newspaper,  left  the  management  of  the  office  almost 
exclusively  to  an  assistant  named  Smythe,  in  whom  he  re- 
posed unbounded  confidence. 

According  to  the  transit  sheet,  the  lost  packages  left  Eureka 
December  22d,  and  again  on  the  2d  of  January, — in  the  latter 


THE    MISSING    RECEIPT.  67 

instance  with  three  others  for  Elk  Falls,  which  had  arrived 
during  the  interim.  The  special  agent  then  called  for  the 
receipts  from  the  postmaster  at  New  Albany.  Of  course 
there  should  have  been  two  of  these,  one  dated  December 
22d,  for  two  packages,  and  the  other  dated  January  2d,  for 
five.  A  receipt  for  the  five,  dated  December  2pth,  was 
promptly  produced,  when  the  assistant  postmaster  paused  in 
his  labors.  w  Here  is  but  one,"  remarked  the  agent.  "I  must 
have  the  other  also." 

S  my  the,  who  laid  his  hand  upon  the  first  without  hesitating 
an  instant,  and  who  was  evidently  methodical  and  careful  in 
the  arrangement  of  papers,  began  to  search  for  the  missing 
document,  but  his  cold,  evasive,  yet  systematic  manner  of 
doing  so  at  once  satisfied  the  detective  that  he  did  not  intend 
to  find  it.  As  the  receipt  already  exhibited  traced  the  lost 
letters  out  of  the  office  on  their  second  round,  it  was  not  ap- 
parent at  first  how  the  disappearance  of  its  mate  could  bene- 
fit the  assistant.  After  hunting  a  while,  he  remarked,  "I 
can't  find  it.  I  had  them  both  on  each  of  the  visits  of  the 
other  special  agent,  and  presume  he  must  have  wrapped  it  up 
with  the  papers." 

"We  will  see,"  said  Mr.  Furay,  to  whom  every  scrap  re- 
lating to  the  losses  had  been  transferred.  He  examined  the 
entire  bundle  then  and  there,  but  the  receipt  was  not  in  it. 

"It  is  strange,"  continued  the  young  man,  reflectively.  "I 
can't  for  my  life  imagine  where  it  has  gone  to." 

The  correctness  of  the  intuition  of  the  detective,  based 
wholly  on  the  manner  of  the  assistant,  conferred  an  interest 
on  that  scrap  of  paper  to  which  it  did  not  seem  to  be  intrin- 
sically entitled.  His  curiosity  was  stimulated  to  follow  the 
lead  further,  in  the  vague  hope  that  the  clue  might  guide  the 
way  to  important  discoveries.  Accordingly,  with  an  air  of 
indifference  that  very  falsely  translated  his  real  eagerness  and 
anxiety,  he  picked  up  the  receipt  with  the  careless  remark 
that  he  would  file  it  with  the  other  papers. 

It  was  now  nearly  dark,  and  the  special  agent  went  to  the 


68  BREAKING    IN. 

hotel  for  supper.  Hurrying  through  the  meal,  he  called  for 
lights,  and  repaired  to  his  own  room  to  study  the  mysterious 
connection  between  an  apparently  insignificant  scrap  of  man- 
uscript and  the  peculiar  manner  of  the  assistant  postmaster. 


"  Hurrying  through  the  meal,  he  repaired  to  his  own  room,  to  study  an 
apparently  insignificant  scrap  of  manuscript." 

Bending  over  the  writing,  he  soon  discovered  that  the  "9,"  in 
the  date  "December  29,"  had  been  raised  from  a  2,  the  job 
being  executed  with  a  degree  of  care  and  precision  which 
clearly  indicated  that  the  operator  was  a  rascal  of  no  ordinary 


CAUGHT    IN   HIS    OWN   TRAP.  69 

accomplishments.  Close  inspection  also  showed  that,  though 
the  chirography  was  the  same,  the  description  of  the  three 
latest  packages  for  Elk  Falls  was  written  in  a  stiff,  nervous 
hand  under  a  different  condition  of  the  system,  and  with  a 
different  pen  from  the  original  entries.  The  true  theory  of  • 
the  case  flashed  upon  the  mind  of  the  detective.  Having 
deliberately  planned  the  forgeries,  Smythe  must  have  taken 
the  receipt  of  December  22d,  changed  the  date,  and  made 
three  additional  entries  above  the  signature  of  the  postmaster 
at  New  Albany.  The  other  receipt  he  suppressed,  as  its 
presence  would  at  once  have  revealed  the  villany. 

Having  made  these  discoveries,  the  detective  sauntered 
back  to  the  office.  Meanwhile  the  postmaster,  informed  of 
his  arrival,  also  dropped  in,  and  the  two  were  soon  engaged 
in  animated  conversation  on  topics  of  current  interest,  in 
which  Smythe  participated  quite  freely.  At  length  the  spe- 
cial agent,  referring  to  the  mail  routes  of  Kansas,  inquired 
whether  the  contractors  in  that  vicinity  were  in  the  habit  of 
performing  the  service  properly. 

"I  tell  you  what  it  is,"  said  Smythe,  with  an  air  of  bravo, 
unconscious  that  he  was  fluttering  like  a  moth  into  the  flame, 
"I  have  been  here  thirty  months,  and  during  the  time  have 
had  but  three  failures  and  two  delays  to  report,  and  those  all 
occurred  upon  the  Emporia  route." 

The  doors  were  closed,  and  only  the  three  were  present. 
Jumping  up  and  stepping  in  front  of  the  assistant,  the  agent 
inquired,  "  Mr.  Smythe,  will  you  take  an  oath  in  the  presence 
of  the  postmaster  that  there  have  been  no  other  delays  here 
than  those  you  have  mentioned?" 

The  abrupt  question,  accompanied  by  a  steady,  scrutinizing 
gaze,  seemed  for  a  moment  to  paralyze  him,  but  rallying  as 
soon  as  the  first  shock  of  surprise  was  over,  he  answered, 
"Yes,  sir,  I  mean  it.'* 

"  Have  there  been  no  delays  on  the  Humboldt  route  within 
that  time?" 

"No,  sir." 


^O  BREAKING    IN. 

"  Nor  on  the  New  Albany  route  ?  " 

"  No,  sir,"  —  emphatically,  —  '  nor  on  the  New  Albany 
route." 

w  Have  you  kept  a  schedule  of  arrivals  and  departures,  and 
kept  it  correctly  ?  " 

"Yes,  I  have." 

"  Let  me  see  it." 

During  the  colloquy,  the  drift  of  which  was  utterly  unintel- 
ligible to  him,  the  postmaster  sat  in  mute  astonishment,  won- 
dering what  sort  of  a  wild  animal  the  post-office  department 
had  turned  loose  upon  the  people  of  Kansas,  and  what  freak 
he  would  take  next.  The  assistant  produced  the  schedules, 
when  the  detective,  as  if  by  accident,  picked  up  first  the  one 
for  the  New  Albany  route.  The  record  of  departures  showed 
that  the  mails,  which  by  contract  were  carried  once  a  week 
each  way,  left  Thursday,  December  22d,  and  instead  of  leav- 
ing next  the  2pth,  as  they  ought,  were  detained  till  Monday, 
January  2d. 

Laying  the  paper  on  the  table,  the  detective  asked,  in  a 
tone  somewhat  bitterly  triumphant,  "Do  you  see  that  date  of 
departure  ?  " 

"Yes,  sir,  I  do,"  replied  the  assistant,  catching  the  point 
for  the  first  time. 

"Now,"  continued  the  detective,  directing  the  attention  of 
the  postmaster  particularly  to  the  salient  features  of  the  case, 
"  let  us  examine  the  ear-marks  on  this  receipt.  Do  you  see 
where  some  scoundrel  has  raised  the  date  from  December  22 
to  29,  little  dreaming  when  he  planned  the  job  that  the  mails 
would  be  delayed  till  January  2d?  Observe  the  outlines  of 
the  original  '2.'  Notice,  too,  that  the  lower  entries  were  not 
made  at  the  same  time,  or  with  the  same  pen  as  the  upper 
ones."  Then  turning  to  Smythe,  he  hissed  forth,  "  O,  what 
an  infamous  villain  you  are  !  Caught  at  last  in  your  own 
trap  !  Where  are  those  letters?  I  must  have  them  here,  and 
now." 

But  Smythe  was  no  ordinary  thief.     Cool,  brave,  deter- 


A   COOL    VILLAIN.  71 

mined,  self-reliant,  a  man  of  quick  invention  and  great  men- 
tal resources,  equally  ready  to  employ  cunning  or  force  for 
the  accomplishment  of  his  ends,  he  possessed  the  essential 
outfit  of  a  daring  and  dangerous  rogue.  The  opportunity  for 
the  development  of  his  peculiar  gifts  in  a  small  interior  village 
was  not  large,  but  he  managed  to  plot  and  rob  so  adroitly  as 
to  avoid  suspicion  and  retain  the  good  opinion  of  the  com- 


"  O,  what  an  infamous  villain  you  are !    Caught  at  last  in  your  own  trap ! " 

munity.  Lights  of  such  effulgence  usually  gravitate  toward 
the  cities,  to  become  central  figures  in  the  various  rings  of 
vampires  that  fatten  on  the  blood  of  the  public. 

Here  the  fellow  showed  grit.  Despite  the  damning  evi- 
dence which  pointed  overwhelmingly  to  him  as  both  thief  and 
forger,  he  denied  the  charge  with  perfect  calmness,  and  did 
not  quail  a  particle  when  threatened  with  arrest,  but  argued 


72  BREAKING    IN. 

that  the  robberies  were  committed  at  New  Albany,  and 
that  a  personal  visit  to  that  office  would  satisfy  the  agent  of 
the  fact. 

After  a  prolonged  but  fruitless  effort  to  break  down  the 
criminal,  the  officer  withdrew  for  the  night.  In  the  morning 
he  drove  up  to  the  office,  and  insisted  so  strongly  that  Smythe 
should  accompany  him  to  New  Albany,  that  the  latter  was 
compelled  to  yield  a  reluctant  assent.  On  reaching  Twin 
Falls,  fifteen  miles  distant,  the  detective  stopped  to  examine 
the  records,  which  were  too  imperfect  to  throw  any  light  upon 
the  case.  Returning  to  the  buggy,  he  found  Smythe  in  con- 
versation with  Mr.  Meklig,  a  resident  of  the  place. 

r  I  hope,  while  you  are  about  here,  you  will  find  my  money," 
remarked  the  gentleman. 

"  What  money  ?  "  inquired  the  officer. 

"Why,  hasn't  Smythe  told  you  about  it?"  he  asked,  in  sur- 
prise. 

"  No,"  answered  the  officer.  "  I  don't  understand  you. 
What  do  you  mean?" 

"On  the  22d  of  August,"  replied  he,  "I  sent  a  letter  ad- 
dressed to  a  firm  in  Lawrence,  containing  three  hundred  dol- 
lars, to  Eureka  to  be  registered.  The  house  never  received 
it,  and  I  can't  find  out  anything  about  it." 

Deadly  pallor  overspread  the  swarthy  complexion  of  Smythe. 
In  answer  to  the  query  of  the  detective,  he  stammered  forth,  as 
if  the  lie  stuck  heavily  in  his  throat,  "Why,  I  thought  I  told 
you  about  that  letter.  Yes,  there  were  two  mailed  that  day, 
and  both  seem  to  be  lost." 

"  Smythe  ! "  exclaimed  Mr.  Meklig,  in  astonishment,  as  if 
new  light  was  breaking  upon  him,  "is  this  the  way  you  give 
information  of  losses  to  your  superior  officers  ?  " 

The  other  lost  letter,  mailed  August  22d,  contained  one  hun- 
dred and  nine  and  a  half  dollars.  To  the  mind  of  the  detec- 
tive, things  were  beginning  to  work  splendidly. 

They  continued  on  to  New  Albany.  The  transit-sheet 
showed  that  the  missing  packages  were  received  December 


AN    UNCOMFORTABLE    POSITION.  73 

22d,  and  dispatched  by  the  first  outgoing  mail  to  the  railroad. 
According  to  the  record  they  did  not  come  a  second  time,  as 
claimed  by  the  office  at  Eureka. 

A  trained  eye  could  see  at  a  glance  that  the  postmaster  be- 
longed to  the  class  of  busy,  earnest,  preoccupied  men  who 
have  no  time  to  plot  mischief,  or  disposition  to  descend  to  ras- 
cality. Though  powerfully  built,  and  ready  on  provocation  to 
deal  heavy  blows,  he  was  evidently  good-natured,  generous, 
and  frank  to  a  fault.  As  the  detective  compared  the  counte- 
nances of  the  accuser  and  the  accused,  both  strongly  marked 
in  outline  and  expression,  but  differing  as  widely  as  falsehood 
from  truth,  he  thanked  God  that  he  was  there  to  protect  the 
right  and  unmask  the  wrong.  When  the  pursuit  of  criminals 
is  intrusted  to  the  indolent,  the  incompetent,  or  the  corrupt,  it 
sometimes  happens  that  the  innocent,  enveloped  perhaps  in  a 
thin  fog  of  suspicious  circumstance  that  would  dissolve  at  the 
first  breath  of  real  genius,  are  subjected  to  cruel  hardships, 
while  the  actual  offenders  escape  unharmed. 

At  New  Albany,  very  much  to  his  confusion  and  chagrin, 
S  my  the  was  compelled  to  play  the  r81e  of  prosecutor.  He 
had  alleged  that  the  thief  would  be  found  there,  and  was 
accordingly  left  to  hunt  up  the  evidence.  While  the  fellow 
was  rummaging  among  the  papers,  to  make  a  show  of  doing 
something,  the  officer  would  now  and  then  inquire  in  a 
low,  seemingly  confidential  whisper,  "Well,  what  do  you 
find?" 

The  rogue  fully  appreciated  the  irony,  but  his  muscles 
never  relaxed.  He  was  as  unhappy  as  a  police-court  lawyer, 
who,  to  make  an  impression  upon  the  mind  of  an  unfortunate 
client,  that  in  his  extremity  has  promised  a  jackknife  for  a 
fee,  tries  to  look  sharp  and  wise,  dreading  every  minute  lest 
some  one  come  in  with  a  dun  for  seventy-five  cents  obtained 
under  false  pretences. 

Smythe  saw  the  disadvantages  and  perils  of  the  situation, 
but  did  not  lose  heart ;  for  hitherto  cunning  and  resolution  had 
piloted  him  safely  through  many  dangers,  giving  him  an  ex- 


74  BREAKING    IN. 

aggerated  confidence  in  the  impregnability  of  his  defences. 
He  evidently  regarded  the  detective  as  more  of  a  bulldog  than 
a  hound,  who  would  just  as  soon  chase  the  shadow  of  a  vul- 
ture as  the  body  of  a  fox,  yet  gave  him  credit  for  discovering, 
by  blunder  or  otherwise,  the  vital  point  of  the  case.  With 
rare  ingenuity  the  fellow  contrived  to  manufacture  false  scents 
and  trails,  but  the  detective  declined  to  bay  upon  a  single  one 
of  them,  contenting  himself  meanwhile  with  the  simple  expos- 
ure of  the  shams.  Under  a  tranquil  exterior,  the  feelings  of 
the  wretch  must  have  seethed  like  the  caldron  of  Macbeth's 
witches,  yet  he  seemed  to  retain  his  wonted  calmness  and  self- 
reliance. 

They  remained  at  New  Albany  two  or  three  hours  without 
discovering  a  scintilla  of  evidence  against  the  postmaster. 
About  five  in  the  afternoon,  having  taken  dinner,  they  started 
back  for  Eureka,  but,  as  the  roads  were  bad,  the  sky  cloudy, 
and  the  night  dark,  only  reached  Twin  Falls,  where  they  put 
up  at  a  small  country  tavern.  Both  occupied  the  same  room  ; 
and  Smythe  took  advantage  of  the  heavy  slumbers  of  his  com- 
panion to  steal  from  his  pocket  the  manipulated  receipt  which 
he  seemed  to  regard  as  the  principal  evidence  against  him. 
When  the  officer  discovered  the  robbery  the  next  morning,  he 
was  terribly  enraged  to  find  himself  outwitted  and  beaten  at 
the  second  stage  of  the  fight,  after  having  succeeded  so  admi- 
rably in  the  first. 

The  contest  that  ensued  was  a  struggle  between  gladiators. 
Mortified  at  the  lack  of  vigilance  which  rendered  the  theft 
possible,  stung  by  the  covert,  easy  insolence  of  the  fellow 
who  now  thought  himself  master  of  the  situation,  and  withal 
impressed  with  a  fuller  appreciation  of  his  desperate  purpose 
and  daring,  the  detective  threw  all  his  energies  into  the  battle 
of  wits.  He  is  a  grand  talker,  mesmeric  and  crushing  by 
turns,  whose  words  roll  down  upon  the  head  of  a  criminal  like 
the  waters  of  a  cataract ;  but  Smythe,  unfortunately,  was 
equally  able  as  a  listener.  About  five  feet  nine  inches  tall, 
broad-shouldered,  though  thin  through  the  chest,  with  hair 


A    HARDENED    VILLAIN. 


75 


and  beard  so  intensely  black  that  they  glistened  like  the  skin 
of  some  reptiles,  with  thin,  bloodless  lips  contracting  firmly 


"  Smy  the  took  advantage  of  the  heavy  slumbers  of  his  companion  to  steal  from 
his  pocket  the  manipulated  receipt." 

around  a  small  mouth,  and  with  diminutive,  repellent  eyes 
that  sparkled  with  a  peculiar  snakish  lustre,  he  could,  if  he 
chose,  face  a  storm  of  denunciation  and  obloquy  with  the 
freezing  stolidity  of  an  Indian ;  or,  if  it  better  suited  his  pur- 
pose, he  could  strike  back  with  any  weapon  that  came  to 


7°  BREAKING    IN. 

hand.  Such  an  antagonist  was  not  a  safe  one  to  encounter  at 
a  disadvantage.  It  required  a  great  deal  of  courage  and  sus- 
tained effort  to  look  down  into  those  cold,  glassy,  treacherous 
eyes,  for  this  was  what  the  detective  aimed  to  do,  as  remark- 
able discoveries  are  often  made  by  gazing  from  above  into  the 
''windows  of  the  soul."  If  guilt  is  hidden  within,  it  is  very 
apt  to  reveal  itself,  especially  if  the  criminal  sits  while  the 
interrogator  bends  over  him,  for  the  inferior  position  detracts 
from  his  courage.  This  psychological  law  plays  an  important 
part  in  the  science  of  detection,  and  agents  cannot  study  it  too 
closely. 

That  morning  they  were  four  hours  in  riding  fifteen  miles 
from  Twin  Falls  to  Eureka.  With  the  ill-omened  receipt 
either  destroyed  or  secure  in  his  own  possession,  the  self- 
assurance  of  the  accused  returned,  and  he  put  forth  his  best 
efforts  both  as  listener  and  reasoner.  Managing  his  cause 
with  admirable  coolness  and  discretion,  he  made  a  determined 
defence,  often  slipping  out  as  it  were,  from  under  the  blows  of 
his  adversary,  who  as  often  found  himself  talking  to  empty 
space  and  wasting  eloquence  on  the  air. 

In  the  course  of  the  argument,  however,  Smythe  became 
pretty  well  convinced  that  he  was  responsible  for  the  stolen 
money ;  and,  finding  that  no  confession  could  be  wrung  from 
him,  the  special  agent  moderated  in  his  demands,  and  began 
to  work  for  the  recovery  of  the  funds.  The  four  packages, 
including  the  two  sent  from  Twin  Falls  August  22d,  contained 
four  hundred  and  sixty-six  and  a  half  dollars.  This  sum  he 
agreed  to  pay ;  and  on  reaching  Eureka,  he  placed  the  full 
amount  in  the  hands  of  the  detective  to  be  distributed  among 
the  proper  owners.  The  latter  was  aware  that  another  special 
agent,  under  orders  from  the  department,  had  visited  the  office 
shortly  before  to  look  into  the  money-order  account,  which  was 
supposed  to  be  considerably  in  arrears ;  and,  as  Smythe  had  a 
habit  of  using  the  funds  belonging  to  that  branch  of  the  busi- 
ness, the  detective  concluded  that  the  large  sum  just  trans- 
ferred to  his  custody  was  probably  abstracted  thence  to  meet 


MASTER   OF    THE    SITUATION.  <  77 

the  present  unexpected  emergency.  He  accordingly  called 
for  the  books,  and  examined  them  carefully,  finding  several 
false  entries,  made  by  the  assistant  postmaster,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  tiding  the  rotten  craft  over  the  previous  investigation. 
S  my  the  knew  that  when  the  accounts  reached  Washington, 
the  manipulations  would  be  discovered,  and  hence  stole  the 
letters  from  Twin  Falls  to  make  good  the  balance,  and  to 
facilitate  the  explanation  of  the  fraudulent  figures  as  mere 
"mistakes." 

Mr.  Furay  unwound  the  false  entries,  and  found  the  office 
eight  hundred  and  thirty-seven  dollars  behind  on  money-order 
account.  Now  the  law  guards  this  fund  with  the  most  strin- 
gent penalties,  making  it  a  penitentiary  offence  for  any  post- 
master or  employd  connected  with  the  operations  of  this 
branch  of  the  work,  to  convert  to  his  own  use,  or  misapply 
for  any  purpose  whatever,  any  portion  of  the  money-order 
funds.  The  special  agent  demanded  the  balance,  threatening 
the  guilty  assistant  with  immediate  arrest  unless  the  entire 
amount  was  paid  over. 

Now,  for  the  first  time,  Smythe  was  thoroughly  alarmed, 
and  began  to  beg  like  a  dog.  The  postmaster,  too,  honest, 
kind,  and  credulous,  who,  till  the  moment  of  the  discovery, 
would  not  believe  a  word  reflecting  on  the  integrity  of  the 
assistant,  being  overmastered  by  the  power  and  guile  of  the 
snake,  shared  fully  in  the  fright,  not  knowing  where  the  ex- 
traordinary developments  might  end.  The  money  in  arrears 
must  be  forthcoming,  or  the  tumbling  walls  would  rattle  about 
their  heads.  The  serpent  vanished  from  the  eyes  of  Smythe, 
and,  notwithstanding  the  theft  of  the  receipt,  the  detective  was 
again  master  of  the  situation.  Weighted  with  the  load  of 
cumulative  evidence,  the  criminal  wilted  under  the  gaze  of 
the  officer  like  newly-mown  grass  under  a  July  sun. 

He  was  advised  to  convey  his  property,  worth  about  five  hun- 
dred dollars,  in  fee  simple  to  the  postmaster,  as  partial  indem- 
nity for  the  misappropriated  funds.  Here  an  unexpected 
difficulty  arose,  the  wife  of  the  embezzler  refusing  to  sign 


78  BREAKING    IN. 

the  papers,  as  required  by  the  laws  of  Kansas  to  make  the 
transfer  binding.  Unsupported  by  any  one  in  her  singular 
resolution,  she  held  but  stubbornly  against  the  united  appeals 
of  husband,  postmaster,  and  detective,  but  finally  yielded,  and 
affixed  her  name  to  the  deed.  The  postmaster  then  mort- 
gaged to  a  local  banker  his  newly  acquired  possessions,  to- 
gether with  all  his  individual  property,  to  raise  the  amount 
of  the  deficiency,  and  the  rush  with  which  the  business  was 
hurried  through  may  be  inferred  from  the  fact  that  the  officer 
in  returning  from  New  Albany  reached  Eureka  about  noon, 
and  left  at  seven  o'clock  the  next  morning,  having  in  charge 
both  the  surplus  money-order  funds  and  the  entire  amount 
stolen  from  the  four  registered  letters.  Where  an  agent  is  on 
the  right  track,  and  has  cleared  away  outlying  doubts  and 
difficulties,  delays  are  dangerous,  while  judicious  but  over- 
whelming precipitation  almost  invariably  wins. 

That  night  the  detective  neither  slept  nor  lay  down. 
Toward  daylight,  S  my  the,  who  still  denied  the  robberies, 
came  and  said,  "I  believe  the  letters  from  Twin  Falls  will 
yet  be  found.  I  have  one  favor  to  ask.  Will  you  hold  the 
money  thirty  days  before  delivering  it  to  the  owners?  They 
left  here,  as  registered  letters,  numbers  nine  and  ten,  in  pack- 
age envelope  number  nine,  addressed  to  Lawrence,  Kansas. 
For  some  unaccountable  reason,  I  have  no  record  of  any  of 
the  packages  which  left  that  day." 

tf  Certainly,"  replied  the  agent,  "  I  will  wait  a  month ;  and 
if  the  letters  are  found  in  the  mean  time,  the  money  shall 
be  restored  to  you." 

Before  starting,  the  detective  requested  the  postmaster  to 
report  promptly  any  statement  the  suspected  criminal  might 
make  in  regard  to  the  loss  of  the  letters  from  the  Eureka  office, 
foreseeing  that,  with  his  rare  and  versatile  cunning,  he  might 
proceed  to  manufacture  evidence  to  suit  his  purposes.  He  also 
ordered  the  peremptory  dismissal  of  the  assistant  —  an  order 
which  the  principal  was  more  than  ready  to  obey.  As  yet 
no  person  in  Eureka  outside  of  the  official  family  knew  the 


HE  DECIDES  TO  REFUND  THE  MONEY.          79 

nature  of  the  trouble.  The  presumption  was,  that  the  young 
man  would  soon  begin  to  explain  matters  to  a  curious  public, 
and  hang  himself  in  the  process.  The  situation  would  force 
him  to  talk  ;  and  he  was  the  more  likely  to  be  imprudent,  for 
he  confidently  believed  that  in  the  arts  of  deceit  he  easily 
overmatched  the  people  of  the  place,  both  individually  and 
collectively. 

On  the  return  trip,  the  special  agent  passed  the  office  to 
which  Smythe  claimed  to  have  sent  the  package  containing 
the  two  valuable  letters  mailed  August  2 id,  and  quietly  ex- 
amined the  records.  He  found  an  entry  of  the  other  packages 
forwarded  that  day  from  Eureka,  but  number  nine  was  not 
among  them.  The  other  offices  on  the  route  to  Humboldt 
were  successively  visited  with  similar  results.  Neither  of  the 
postmasters  on  this  line  could  have  stolen  the  letters  alleged 
to  have  been  sent  in  January  to  New  Albany,  nor  could  the 
postmaster  at  that  place  have  taken  the  package  of  August 
22d,  for  it  did  not  go  within  forty  miles  of  his  office.  The 
centre  of  the  maelstrom  was  located  exactly  at  Eureka. 

Proceeding  on  to  Lawrence,  the  agent  deposited  in  a  national 
bank  four  hundred  and  nine  and  a  half  dollars,  payable  on  his 
own  order  after  thirty  days,  to  the  firm  to  which  two  of  the  let- 
ters were  addressed,  and  held  the  balance  of  sixty-five  dollars 
to  liquidate  the  other  losses,  which  in  due  time,  upon  presen- 
tation of  the  proper  evidence,  were  severally  made  good. 

From  Lawrence  the  officer  returned  to  Omaha,  where  he 
was  detained  about  two  weeks  in  attendance  on  court  and  by 
other  duties.  Meantime,  as  he  learned  from  the  daily  bulle- 
tins of  the  postmaster,  a  lively  commotion  had  succeeded  the 
ordinary  calm  at  Eureka.  Besides  the  position  from  which 
he  was  lately  ejected,  Smythe  also  held  the  office  of  deputy 
county  clerk,  and  as  he  now  had  no  other  business,  devoted 
himself  exclusively  to  that.  But  the  public  were  curious  and 
inquisitive.  It  was  known  that  an  agent  of  the  department 
had  visited  the  post-office,  and  that  after  various  mysterious 
movements,  the  assistant,  after  having  long  exercised  almost 


80  BREAKING    IN. 

absolute  control  over  its  affairs,  had  suddenly  left.  The  post- 
master, as  previously  instructed  by  the  special  agent,  declined 
to  enter  into  explanations.  The  strain  on  the  central  object  of 
all  this  interest  became  too  great  to  be  borne.  As  a  politi- 
cian and  newspaper  writer  he  could  not  remain  quiet  under 
the  pelting  of  questions  and  insinuations,  but,  like  many 
others  similarly  situated,  tried  the  worst  possible  expedient 
to  stop  the  clamor,  in  publishing  a  card  to  vindicate  himself 
from  the  "aspersions  of  malignant  enemies."  In  this  docu- 
ment statements  on  vital  points  were  made  over  his  own  signa- 
ture entirely  contradictory  to  those  put  forth  with  solemn 
reiteration  during  the  late  inquiry. 

Returning  immediately  to  Eureka,  the  special  agent  man- 
aged to  get  possession  of  the  original  manuscript  of  the  card, 
whereupon  he  arrested  Smythe  and  took  him  to  Topeka,  where 
the  United  States  Court  was  then  in  session.  Though  ably 
defended,  the  prisoner  was  convicted,  and  sentenced  to  ten 
years  in  the  penitentiary. 

It  was  not  till  the  doors  of  the  prison  had  closed  upon  this 
bold,  bad,  dangerous  man,  that  the  most  crushing  evidence 
against  him  came  to  light.  His  successor,  as  deputy  county 
clerk,  in  prying  open  a  drawer  which  Smythe  used  for  pri- 
vate papers,  and  which  he  left  locked  when  taken  away  for 
trial,  found  the  identical  letter  which  Mr.  Meklig  sent  to 
Eureka  to  be  registered  on  the  22d  of  August.  It  was  not 
postmarked,  but  bore  the  number  w  9  "  in  the  familiar  chirog- 
raphy  of  Smythe.  The  envelope  had  been  opened  with  a 
degree  of  skill  which  proved  the  operator  to  be  an  adept  at 
the  business.  As  might  be  inferred,  the  enclosure  of  three 
hundred  dollars  was  missing.  The  county  building,  where 
the  discovery  was  made,  was  half  a  mile  from  the  post- 
office.  Thenceforth  the  few  adherents  who  professed  to 
doubt  the  criminality  of  Smythe,  were  completely  and  forever 
silenced. 


?N  the  northern  part  of  the 
State  of  New  York  there  are 
situated,  about  fifteen  miles 
apart,  on  converging  lines  of 
railway,  two  thrifty  towns, 
called  Fulham  and  Wexford. 
Between  them  nestle,  in  com- 
|j  parative  obscurity,  three  or 
four  small  hamlets,  wherein  for 
the  most  part  the  lives  of  the 
inhabitants  glide  placidly  on, 
from  year  to  year,  at  a  long 
remove  from  the  excitements 
and  cares,  the  vices  and  crimes, 
that  wreck  so  many  in  more 
ambitious  neighborhoods.  It 
was  the  boast  of  the  people 
that  they  were  moral  and  law- 
abiding,  and  the  subject  of 
The  Home  of  the  Dunstons.  frequent  thanksgiving  that 
their  "lines  had  been  cast  in  pleasant  places." 

"  Far  from  the  madding  crowd's  ignoble  strife, 
Their  sober  wishes  never  learned  to  stray; 
Along  the  cool,  sequestered  vale  of  life, 

They  kept  the  noiseless  tenor  of  their  way." 

6 


82  WHY    DID    SHE    DO    IT? 

Yet  a  fierce  tempest  was  about  to  burst  upon  one  of  the 
most  peaceful  and  prosperous  homes  in  that  beautiful  coun- 
try. The  Tempter  that  destroyed  the  happiness  of  the  pri- 
meval garden  had  found  lodgment  in  another  Eden,  and 
another  Eve  had  been  overcome  by  his  lying  whispers.  Un- 
seen and  unsuspected,  the  steps  of  the  avenger  were  drawing 
near,  and  his  shadow  was  soon  to  darken  the  doomed 
threshold. 

For  a  long  time  a  system  of  mail  depredations  had  been 
carried  on  somewhere  in  the  vicinity,  and  several  offices  had 
come  successively  under  suspicion.  The  son  of  the  postmaster 
at  Wexford  was  the  first  to  be  put  to  the  test ;  and  although 
numerous  sufferers  confidentially  suggested  to  the  special 
agent  that  he  was  the  probable  thief,  the  ordeal  established 
his  innocence.  Satisfied  that  the  source  of  the  trouble  must 
be  sought  elsewhere,  special  agent  B.  K.  Sharretts,  who  was 
charged  with  the  investigation,  proceeded  to  subject  to  pro- 
fessional scrutiny  several  other  offices  around  which  the  losses 
rained  most  heavily,  but  in  every  instance  the  baits  most 
tempting  to  the  palate  of  a  thief  passed  along  untouched. 
After  one  or  two  fruitless  visits  to  this  part  of  the  country, 
fresh  robberies  furnished  the  clew  that  the  offender  operated 
at  some  point  between  Fulham  and  Wexford,  and  the  agent 
accordingly  returned,  in  full  confidence  that  the  mystery 
would  soon  be  solved. 

Communication  between  the  two  towns  was  kept  up  by  a 
daily  line  of  stages,  that  also  supplied  three  intermediate 
offices,  Masonville,  Hamilton,  and  Eden.  A  single  pouch 
contained  both  the  local  and  through  mail,  and  was  opened 
by  each  postmaster  on  the  route.  As  usual  on  such  lines,  the 
contents  were  emptied  promiscuously  on  the  floor,  and  after 
such  letters  and  papers  as  belonged  to  the  particular  locality 
had  been  picked  out  from  the  mass,  the  residue  was  replaced, 
to  undergo  similar  manipulation  at  the  next  stopping-place. 
As  will  be  seen,  the  system  affords  ready  opportunities  for  the 
commission  of  fraud.  The  party  assorting  the  mail,  even 


SEEKING    FOR    LIGHT.  83 

when  working  under  the  eyes  of  casual  observers,  has  only 
to  shuffle  foreign  matter  carelessly  to  one  side  with  the  pack- 
ages for  local  delivery,  and  subject  them  to  the  dissecting 
knife  at  his  subsequent  convenience.  There  was  abundant 
reason  to  believe  that  this  was  the  method  pursued  in  the' 
present  instance ;  and  as  the  evil  was  of  long  continuance, 
the  agent  expected  to  find  the  criminal  operating  with  reckless 
assurance.  In  such  cases  the  main  effort  is  expended  in 
locating  the  thief,  as  he  seldom  fails  to  rush  headlong  into  the 
net  spread  for  his  capture. 

Special  agent  Sharretts,  under  the  guidance  of  the  new 
light  now  before  him,  carefully  arranged  a  plan  of  operations, 
fully  assured  that  the  thought  and  labor  expended  on  the  case 
would  soon  bring  the  success  which  in  the  end  usually  re- 
wards well-directed  effort.  Having  already  learned,  during 
his  operations  in  the  neighborhood,  that  the  stage-driver  was 
both  honest  and  discreet,  he  introduced  himself  to  that  func- 
tionary, explained  sufficiently  for  the  purposes  of  the  occasion 
the  object  of  his  mission,  and  obtained  a  promise  of  hearty 
co-operation. 

Preparing  a  number  of  letters,  suggestive  in  appearance  of 
a  plethora  of  greenbacks  and  other  valuables,  he  made  a 
complete  list  of  the  contents  of  the  pouch  about  to  start  upon 
its  fateful  journey,  taking  the  address  and  destination  of  each 
missive.  By  previous  agreement,  the  deputy  United  States 
marshal  for  the  district  was  to  follow  from  Wexford  in  a  pri- 
vate carriage,  about  half  a  mile  behind  the  stage,  to  be  ready 
for  any  emergency  that  might  arise. 

On  reaching  Masonville,  the  pouch  was  handed  to  the  post- 
master, who,  after  assorting  the  contents  in  the  customary 
style,  returned  it  to  the  driver.  As  the  horses  jogged  away, 
the  agent  opened  the  bag,  to  find  that,  except  the  local  mail, 
nothing  had  been  touched.  The  same  thing  happened  at  the 
next  place,  though  the  pouch  had  seldom  been  freighted  with 
packets  of  such  obvious  value.  If  there  was  a  thief  at  either 
office,  he  was  evidently  absent  on  this  occasion,  as  an  old 


84  WHY    DID    SHE    DO    IT? 

offender,  emboldened  by  long  immunity,  would  be  extremely 
unlikely  to  hesitate  in  the  face  of  such  temptation. 

As  the  agent  relocked  the  pouch  after  the  search  beyond 
Hamilton,  the  driver  remarked,  "Well,  friend,  you  may  as 
well  give  up  for  to-day.  The  next  office  is  kept  by  a  lady, 
independently  rich  and  of  the  highest  character.  She  will 
not  disturb  anything  that  doesn't  belong  to  her.  She  Is  one 
of  the  first  ladies  of  the  county,  and  no  man  living  can  say 
a  word  against  her." 

The  agent,  though  convinced  from  the  character  of  the 
losses  that  a  thief  was  harbored  in  one  of  the  three  offices, 
was  half  inclined  to  come  to  the  same  conclusion.  Throwing 
off  the  anxiety  that  had  partially  distracted  his  attention,  he 
handed  a  fragrant  "Havana"  to  his  companion,  and  lighting 
another  himself,  surrendered  his  thoughts  to  the  enchantments 
of  nature.  The  air  was  soft,  while  the  fields  were  burnished 
with  crimson  leaves  and  golden  harvests.  In  winding  over 
the  hills,  the  road  presented  many  grand  outlooks,  while 
peace  and  plenty  seemed  to  hang  over  the  country  in  per- 
petual benediction.  Reared  in  the  neighborhood,  the  driver 
knew  every  one  on  the  route,  executing  their  commissions  at 
the  terminal  towns,  and  enjoying  a  popularity  which  many 
of  more  ambitious  turn  might  envy.  Amid  scenes  of  such 
tranquillity  the  agent  forgot  the  din  of  the  metropolis,  and 
wondered  how,  in  the  presence  of  the  earth  and  sky,  man 
could  consent  to  break  the  laws  of  the  Eternal  Father,  who 
had  given  him  so  beautiful  a  home. 

In  due  time  the  coach  reached  "Eden,"  a  substantial  but 
solitary  farm-house  located  on  a  steep  hillside. 

"  It  is  no  use  to  examine  the  bag  here,"  remarked  Jehu,  as 
he  drove  away  from  the  door.  "  I  am  not  afraid  to  stake  my 
existence  that  it's  all  right." 

"Just  so,"  replied  the  agent ;  "but  in  our  business  we  never 
leave  any  outlets  open,  and  I  will  go  through  it  as  a  matter 
of  form."  Proceeding  to  unlock  the  bag,  he  discovered,  to 
his  own  surprise  and  to  the  horror  and  dismay  of  the  driver, 


JEHU    SURPRISED.  85 

that  all  the  decoys  were  missing,  as  well  as  several  other 
letters  directed  to  Fulham  and  points  beyond.  Yes,  there 
was  no  mistake  about  it.  They  went  over  the  list  twice,  each 
time  with  the  same  result.  The  letters  were  gone ! 


\ 


"Just  so,"  replied  the  agent;  "but  in  our  business  we  never  leave  any  outlets 
open,  and  I  will  go  through  it  as  a  matter  of  form." 

With  a  look  of  blank  amazement,  the  driver  broke  out, 
"  Can  it  be  possible  the  wrong  is  here  ?  What  will  happen 
next?" 

"It  is  too  true,"  answered  the  agent;  " the  trouble  is  yon- 
der," pointing  in  the  direction  of  Eden. 

Poor  Jehu  was  struck  dumb,  his  confidence  in  human  nature 
sadly  shaken.  They  waited  in  silence  for  the  arrival  of  the 


86  WHY    DID    SHE    DO    IT? 

marshal.  When  the  latter  drove  up,  the  agent  descended 
from  the  coach,  briefly  explained  the  situation,  and  sprang 
into  the  carriage,  which  was  soon  in  rapid  motion  toward 
Eden. 

The  postmaster  was  a  wealthy  and  influential  farmer,  named 
Dunston,  known  and  respected  for  sterling  virtues  throughout 
a  circuit  of  many  miles.  Till  this  day  the  breath  of  suspicion 
had  never  touched  him  or  his  house.  He  had  consented  to 
take  the  appointment,  at  their  solicitation,  for  the  benefit  of 
the  neighbors,  but  finding  that  the  duties  interfered  with  his 
labors  on  the  farm,  soon  surrendered  the  entire  management 
of  its  affairs  to  his  wife.  She,  too,  was  equally  respected. 
More  than  this,  she  was  greatly  beloved  for  an  active,  though 
unostentatious  benevolence,  that  sought  out  the  unfortunate, 
habitually  supplying  their  needs  with  a  generous  and  gracious 
hand.  From  personal  experience  of  her  bounties  the  poor 
stood  ready  to  rise  up  and  pronounce  her  "blessed."  It  was 
known  that  she  had  exclusive  control  of  the  office.  Could  it 
be  possible  that  a  lady  rolling  in  wealth,  eminent  for  benefi- 
cence, and  raised  far  above  the  reach  of  ordinary  temptation, 
was  also  a  vulgar  thief  ? 

The  house  of  the  Dunstons  was  perched  on  the  side  of  a 
rugged  and  precipitous  hill.  The  road  wound  along  the  edge, 
with  a  steep  embankment  on  one  side  that  faded  away  into 
the  leafy  depths  below.  Behind  a  span  of  restive  horses  there 
was  a  much  more  comfortable  feeling  of  security  in  ascending 
than  in  descending,  particularly  for  a  stranger,  whose  riding 
was  mostly  confined  to  the  omnibus  and  railway  coach. 

In  a  few  minutes  the  officers  drove  up  to  the  door,  and 
having  secured  the  team,  opened  the  gate  into  the  enclosure, 
and  walked  up  the  path  toward  the  house.  At  the  same 
instant  a  woman  stepped  out  upon  the  veranda,  with  a  milk- 
pail  in  each  hand,  and  crowned  with  an  immense  sun-bonnet, 
the  cape  of  which  concealed  half  her  person.  As  she  glided 
across  the  floor,  toward  the  rear  of  the  dwelling,  the  agent 
divined  intuitively  that  the  figure  was  Mrs.  Dunston ;  and 


A   COOL    RECEPTION.  87 

barring  the  exit,  without  appearance  of  design  in  doing  so, 
inquired,  "Can  you  tell  me,  madam,  where  I  can  find  the 
postmaster?" 

"There  isn't  any  postmaster  here,"  she  answered,  in  rather 
a  brusque  tone. 

"The  postmistress,  then?  " 

"  There  isn't  any  postmistress,  either." 


44  At  the  same  instant  a  woman  stepped  out  upon  the  veranda,  with  a  milk- 
pail  in  each  hand." 

"  Will  you  please  inform  me  then,  madam,  who  attends  to 
the  post-office?  " 

"  I  don't  know  anything  about  it,"  she  snapped  out  still 
more  brusquely. 

Seeing  from  her  manner  that  she  suspected  the  visit  of  the 
strangers  boded  no  good,  and  that  if  really  Mrs  Dunston,  she 
was  disposed  to  deny  her  identity,  he  felt  that  temporizing 
would  be  of  no  avail,  and  therefore  said,  "Allow  me  to  differ 


88 


WHY    DID    SHE    DO    IT? 


with  you,  madam.  You  are  the  postmaster,  and  I  wish  to 
have  a  few  minutes'  private  conversation  with  you  in  your 
office.  I  am  a  special  agent  of  the  department." 

On  hearing  this  a  deadly  pallor  overspread  her  face,  and 
without  further  demur  she  led  the  way  into  the  house.  The 
officers  followed  into  a  neatly  furnished  sitting-room,  which 
was  also  used  for  postal  purposes.  A  brief  survey  of  the 
establishment  sufficed  to  discover  that  the  inmates  did  not 

affect  the  style  of  the  city,  but 
were  content  with  the  plain, 
solid  comforts  of  home.  Un- 
less forced  to  the  conclusion 
by  overwhelming  evidence, 
no  one  would  expect  to  find 
a  criminal  in  the  mistress  of 
such  a  dwelling. 

In  the  most  delicate  manner 
consistent  with  the  painful  but 
unavoidable  duty  before  him, 
the  agent  explained  the  object 
of  his  visit,  and  the  official 
character  of  his  companion. 
The  courtesy  of  the  announce- 
ment served  to  exasperate 
rather  than  to  soothe.  With 
an  air  of  defiance  she  ex- 
claimed, in  discordant  tones, 
"  You  are  wretches  and  scoun- 
drels !  How  dare  you  come  here  to  insult  me  ?  I  a  thief, 
—  accused  of  stealing,  in  my  own  house  I  Great  God  !  that  I 
should  live  to  come  to  this." 

Yet  there  were  no  signs  of  yielding.  Resolution  and  stern- 
ness, upheld  by  an  iron  will,  were  stamped  on  every  feature. 
It  was  at  once  seen  that  it  was  not  a  case  for  soft  words  or 
mild  remedies. 


Great  God !  that  I  should  live  to  come 
to  this." 


AN    ATTEMPT    AT    SUICIDE.  89 

"  Diseases,  desperate  grown, 
By  desperate  appliance  are  relieved, 
Or  not  at  all." 

Without  further  wasting  words  in  needless  circumlocution, 
the  agent  came  directly  to  the  point.  "  Madam,  you  have 
been  engaged  in  a  long  and  systematic  course  of  robbery.  I 
am  not  mistaken.  I  know  what  I  am  saying,  and  appreciate 
the  full  import  of  my  words.  You,  and  no  one  else,  are 
guilty  of  the  depredations  which  have  brought  several  inno- 
cent persons  in  the  county  under  unjust  suspicion,  and  have 
caused  great  annoyance  and  loss  to  the  sufferers.  The  crime 
is  all  the  more  damning  because  there  is  not  a  circumstance 
to  palliate  its  enormity.  I  can  pity  and  forgive  the  poor 
wretch  who  steals  for  bread,  but  you  have  wealth  that  leaves 
not  a  wish  ungratified.  If  so  disposed,  I  could  particularize 
scores  of  letters  that  you  have  robbed  in  the  past ;  but  it  is  not 
necessary.  You  took  twelve  this  very  day.  To  convince  you 
that  I  speak  advisedly,  one  was  addressed  to  Brasil  &  Co.,  of 
Fulham,  and  contained  forty-five  dollars.  Another,  directed 
to  Miss  Susan  Brown,  held  a  silver  coin  folded  in  a  piece  of 
red  ribbon.  Those  twelve  letters  are  now  in  this  house. 
Have  them  I  must,  and  have  them  I  shall." 

During  the  recital,  the  marble  lineaments  of  her  face  grad- 
ually relaxed,  and,  overpowered  by  intensity  of  feeling,  she 
fell  into  an  hysterical  sob.  Without  further  making  reply, 
or  seeming  to  resent  the  terrible  words  of  the  accuser,  she 
stepped  quickly  toward  an  open  window,  and  placing  her 
hands  on  the  sill,  gave  a  convulsive  spring.  The  agent  came 
up  just  in  time  to  prevent  her  escape.  What  was  his  con- 
sternation on  looking  out,  to  discover  that  the  window  over- 
hung a  rocky  ravine  forty  or  fifty  feet  deep  !  A  few  seconds 
more  and  the  wretched  creature  would  have  added  self- 
destruction  to  the  catalogue  of  her  crimes. 

Perplexing  as  was  the  situation,  the  search  could  not  stop. 
Again  the  agent  demanded  the  missing  letters,  only  to  elicit 
the  reply,  "  I  know  nothing  at  all  about  them."  Even  the  ex- 


9° 


WHY    DID    SHE    DO    IT? 


perienced  detective,  whose  acumen,  trained  by  long  practice, 
rivalled  the  scent  of  the  hound,  was  staggered  by  the  persis- 
tence and  apparent  sincerity  of  the  denials.  Whatever  doubts, 
however,  might  be  tolerated  by  the  emotions  of  his  heart,  his 
intellect,  on  a  calm  survey  of  the  facts,  still  assured  him  that  his 
conclusions  were  correct. 

Having  led  Mrs.  Dunston  to  a  seat,  where  she  was  closely 
guarded  by  the  marshal,  the  agent  proceeded  to  search  the 
room,  every  nook  and  corner  of  which  were  carefully  ex- 


"  She  stepped  quickly  toward  an  open  window,  and  placing  her  hands  on  the 
sill,  gave  a  convulsive  spring." 

plored.  He  examined  in  detail  the  bureau,  bed,  stand,  and 
other  articles  of  furniture.  He  looked  behind  the  pictures  on 
the  wall,  and  raised  the  carpet  where  loosely  tacked,  but  thus 
far  the  inquest  proved  wholly  fruitless :  not  a  sign  of  the  lost 
missives  or  their  contents  anywhere  appearing.  As  the 
mystery  deepened,  the  determination  of  the  agent  increased. 
Turning  again  to  the  woman,  he  remarked,  with  deliberate 


MRS.  DUNSTCN  REFUSES  TO  BE  SEARCHED.       pi 

emphasis,  "  the  letters  are  not  secreted  about  the  room,  but 
are  hidden  on  your  person.  You  must  be  searched  unless 
you  deliver  them  up  at  once." 

Hastily  placing  her  hand  on  her  dress,  she  fiercely  ex- 
claimed, her  eyes  flaming  with  the  fury  of  hell,  "You  shall 
not  search  me." 

Grasping  her  by  one  wrist,  the  agent  directed  the  marshal 


"  He  now  staggered  into  the  room,  and,  appalled  at  a  scene  he  could  not 
comprehend,  fell  heavily  to  the  floor." 

to  hold  the  other,  and  examine  her  pockets.  As  he  attempted 
to  comply  with  the  request,  a  scream  of  terror  and  despair, 
that  chilled  the  blood  of  the  officers,  filling  the  house  with  its 
clamor,  and  reverberating  among  the  hills,  broke  from  her 


p2  WHY    DID    SHE    DO    IT? 

lips.  A  pretty,  but  half-idiotic  girl,  reared  in  the  family, 
who  had  regarded  the  previous  proceedings  in  silent  bewil- 
derment, aroused  from  stupor  by  the  frenzy  of  the  mistress, 
now  joined  in  the  fearful  chorus,  her  excitement  becoming  so 
uncontrollable  that  her  shrieks  continued  even  after  the  final 
catastrophe.  Nor  did  the  agony  of  the  females  bound  the 
misfortunes  of  the  day. 

"  When  sorrows  come,  they  come  not  single  spies, 
But  in  battalions." 

On  entering  the  house,  the  officers  observed  a  venerable 
gentleman  walking  up  and  down  the  parlor,  with  his  arms 
folded  behind  his  back.  A  profusion  of  silvery  locks  hung 
about  his  shoulders,  and  his  form,  though  bent,  still  towered 
far  above  the  ordinary  height.  He  now  staggered  into  the 
room,  and,  appalled  at  a  scene  which  he  could  not  compre- 
hend, fell  heavily  to  the  floor.  A  mind  weakened  by  old  age 
succumbed  to  the  shock.  It  was  subsequently  learned  that, 
having  lost  all  his  relatives,  he  took  up  his  abode  with  the 
Dunstons  a  quarter  of  a  century  before,  and  had  since  made 
their  mansion  his  home.  He  loved  "Faith,"  as  he  called  Mrs. 
Dunston,  with  the  devotion  of  a  father,  and  by  will  had  be- 
queathed her  a  large  estate.  When  the  truth  afterwards 
dawned  upon  him  that  the  woman  whom  he  believed  to  be 
endowed  with  more  than  earthly  virtue,  was,  in  the  eye  of  the 
law,  a  criminal,  the  blow  drove  him  to  the  grave. 

Meanwhile  farmer  Dunston,  aided  by  half  a  score  of  labor- 
ers, was  engaged  in  a  field  at  some  distance  from  the  house, 
gathering  the  harvest.  Suddenly  the  terrific  screams  of  the 
women  awoke  the  hills  with  strange  echoes.  Leaving  the 
teams  to  care  for  themselves,  the  crowd  started  for  the  domi- 
cile, each  armed  with  whatever  implement  happened  to  be 
most  convenient.  Hurrying  across  the  yard,  where  the  sight 
of  an  unfamiliar  carriage  added  fresh  fuel  to  the  flame,  the 
band  burst  through  a  door  in  the  back  part  of  the  room, 
headed  by  farmer  Dunston  in  person.  For  a  moment  the 


THE    OFFICERS    IN    DANGER. 


93 


confusion  of  bedlam  prevailed  in  that  narrow  apartment.  It 
was  indeed  a  sight  to  shock  the  strongest  nerves.  Upon  the 
floor  lay,  in  moveless  swoon,  the  long,  slender  form  of  the  old 
gentleman ;  the  idiotic  girl  greeted  the  arrival  of  the  band 
with  a  whoop  that  might  have  served  as  an  Indian  battle-cry ; 
the  wife  sobbed  hysterically  ;  and  amid  all,  the  evident  authors 
of  the  terror  and  the  tumult,  stood  two  strangers.  The  mar- 
shal, unprepared  for  the  crisis,  shrank  back  aghast.  His 
momentary  discomfiture  might  be  accepted  as  a  tacit  confes- 
sion of  an  evil  purpose.  Who  were  these  unknown  men? 
Why  had  they  invaded  the  sanctity  of  this  happy  home?  In 
the  estimation  of  the  rustics,  who  glared  upon  the  officers  with 
looks  of  mingled  amazement  and  ferocity,  no  lawful  object 
could  have  drawn  them  thither.  To  her  neighbors,  Mrs. 
Dunston  was  a  paragon  of  excellence.  As  soon  would  they 
doubt  an  angel  from  heaven,  as  question  her  integrity.  There 
could  be  but  one  explanation  of  the  mystery.  The  strangers 
must  be  robbers,  burglars,  ready,  perhaps,  to  bury  deeds  of 
lesser  blackness  under  the  crowning  crime  of  murder.  Such 
conviction  seemed  to  flash  simultaneously  upon  the  band  of 
rescuers.  Mr.  Dunston  sprang  forward  with  a  pitchfork  in 
his  hands,  prepared  to  impale  upon  its  glittering  tines  the  rep- 
resentative of  the  post-office  department.  The  case  was  too 
plain  to  call  for  judge  or  jury. 

At  this  juncture,  raising  his  arm  with  a  look  of  conscious  rec- 
titude, and  maintaining  an  imperturbable  calmness  that  awed 
into  silence  the  excited  throng,  the  special  agent  quietly  said : 
"Stop.  We  are  officers  of  the  United  States  government. 
We  come  hither  to  perform  a  painful  but  imperative  duty. 
This  gentleman  is  a  marshal.  I  am  a  special  agent  of  the 
post-office  department. " 

In  the  heterogeneous  crowd  there  happened  to  be  a  returned 
volunteer,  who  now  stepped  to  the  front.  In  the  army,  hav- 
ing learned  to  appreciate  the  deference  due  to  the  authority 
of  the  government,  he  remarked,  borrowing  a  hint  from  the 
argument  of  Gamaliel,  "Hold  on.  If  they  are  United  States 


94 


WHY    DID    SHE    DO    IT? 


officials,  you  have  got  to  hear  them.  If  they  are  impostors, 
we  can  deal  with  them  afterwards." 

Dead  silence  succeeded  the  previous  clamor,  and  the  agent 
proceeded  to  exhibit  his  commission. 

"What  is  the  matter?"  inquired  Mr.  Dunston. 

"I  am  pained  to  say,"  answered  the  officer,  "that  numerous 


•<  •  Stop !   We  are  officers  of  the  United  States  government.    We  come  hither  to 
perform  a  painful  but  imperative  duty.' " 

robberies  of  the  mail  have  been  committed  at  this  place,  and 
your  wife  is  the  guilty  party." 

Turning  to  the  wife  with  a  look  of  tenderness  and  confi- 
dence, the  husband  inquired,  w Faith,  is  this  true?" 

The  crowd  strained  forward  with  eager  intentness  to  catch 


A    HUSBAND  S    CONFIDENCE. 


95 


the  answer.  "No,  no  ;  I  am  innocent.  I  would  not  think  of 
such  a  thing.  I  could  not  think  of  such  a  thing. " 

The  cloud  rolled  from 
the  face  of  the  old  man. 
Clasping  the  woman 
fondly,  he  gave  ex- 
pression to  his  perfect 
trust  in  her  integrity. 
"Old  girl,  we  have 
lived  together  forty 
years,  and  I  believe 
you.  Men,  you  are 
mistaken.  We  have 
plenty  —  more  than  we 
know  what  to  do  with. 
She  has  no  occasion 
to  be  bad.  At  her 
time  of  life  she  can- 
not be  bad.  Impossi- 
ble 1 " 

"Mr.   Dunston,"   an-    "'Old  gM.  ^e  have  lived  together  forty  years, 

and  I  believe  you.  7 

swered  the  officer,  "it 

would  be  an  inexpressible  relief  to  me  to  be  able  to  go  away 
and  leave  your  dream  unbroken,  but  such  a  course,  however 
agreeable  to  my  feelings,  is  out  of  the  question.  The  charge 
is  too  true.  As  she  well  knows,  she  took  twelve  letters  to-day, 
and  at  this  moment  has  them  secreted  on  her  person.  She  must 
be  searched.  If  she  refuses,  it  will  be  necessary  to  take  her 
to  Wexford,  where  the  work  may  be  done  by  ruder  hands." 

Convinced  from  his  looks  and  manner  that  Mr.  Dunston 
was  a  man  of  thorough  truth  and  honor,  who  might  be  per- 
mitted to  hold  the  scales  of  justice  even  where  his  own 
dearest  interests  hung  trembling  in  the  balance,  the  agent 
told  him  that  he  could  accompany  his  wife  to  an  adjoining 
room,  the  door  being  left  ajar,  and  hand  out  her  garments 
as  she  disrobed.  One  article  of  apparel  after  another  was 


96  WHY    DID    SHE    DO    IT? 

passed  through  the  aperture  for  examination,  but  for  some 
time  without  discovery  of  a  sign  of  the  contraband  treasures. 
Happily  the  period  of  suspense,  so  painful  to  all,  could  not, 
in  the  rapid  rush  of  events,  last  much  longer.  As  the  search 
progressed  toward  the  primitive  foundations,  a  shadow  of 
doubt  momentarily  crossed  the  mind  of  the  officer,  yet  the 
intuition,  won  by  long  practice  and  trusted  at  length  as  in- 
fallible, still  assured  him  that  his  theory  could  not  be  wrong. 
He  accordingly  watched  every  movement  with  the  preter- 
natural acuteness  of  vision  developed  by  the  business  of 
detection,  and  at  a  stage  of  the  proceedings  where  the  cumu- 
lative discouragements  would  have  driven  any  but  a  thorough 
professional  to  surrender  in  despair,  a  sudden  disclosure,  wholly 
unlocked  for  by  the  rest  of  the  expectant  company,  established 
the  truth  of  his  judgment.  While  the  lady  was  disentangling 
a  garment  that  had  fallen  about  her  feet,  the  stillness  was 
broken  by  the  thud  of  a  package  of  letters  on  the  floor. 

The  poor,  broken-hearted  wife  threw  herself  at  the  feet  of 
her  husband,  and  clutching  him  convulsively  by  the  knees, 
ejaculated  piteously,  "John,  O  John,  forgive  me  !  " 
"Faith,  Faith,"  he  tremblingly  asked,  "how  is  this?" 
"John,  I  don't  know.     O  forgive  me,  forgive  me  !  " 
At  this  tacit  confession  of  guilt,  the  husband,  crushed  in 
spirit  and  overpowered  by  intense  emotion,  threw  his    arms 
lovingly  about  the  neck  of  the  prostrate  wife,  when  both  wept 
like  children.     Comparative  calm  succeeded  the  outburst  of 
grief.      He    directed    the    company  of  laborers    to    disperse, 
and  they  seemed  relieved  to  be  permitted  to  escape  from  the 
oppressive    atmosphere.      Thenceforth    the    husband    offered 
neither  suggestion  nor  hinderance,  remaining  a  passive  spec- 
tator  of    what   followed.       Upborne    by    a    sense    of   justice 
which  even    the   strongest    affections    could  not   shake    from 
its  eternal    foundations  of  rock,  he    had   no    thought   of  at- 
tempting to  evade  the  penalties  of  a  broken   law.     Neither 
did  he  desire  to  have  the   facts  disguised  or  concealed,  but 
said   repeatedly,    "Faith,   my   dear   girl,   if  you    have   done 


FAITH,    MY    DEAR    GIRL,    TELL    THE    TRUTH. 


97 


wrong,  tell   the   truth.     I'll    stay  by  you  through  thick  and 
thin  ;  I'll  never  desert  you." 

By  this  time  Mrs.  Dunston  had  become  quite  calm.  Of 
the  letters  purloined,  some  were  bona  fide  communications 
directed  to  different  localities,  while  others  had  been  pre- 
pared by  the  agent,  who  was  of  course  acquainted  with  the 
contents.  Only  a  part  of  the  missing  letters,  and  not  one 


«<  The  poor,  broken-hearted  wife  threw  herself  at  the  feet  of  her  husband,  and 
ejaculated  piteously, '  John,  O  John,  forgive  me ! '  " 

of  the  decoys,  were  found  on  her  person.  It  was  now  need- 
ful to  ascertain  whither  these  had  disappeared. 

The  officer  addressed  Mrs.  Dunston  with  gentle  decision. 
"  Of  course  you  will  follow  the  excellent  advice  given  by 
your  husband,  and  explain  these  transactions  fully.  What 
did  you  do  with  the  letter  containing  the  silver  coin  and  the 
ribbon  ?  " 

Dazed  and  abstracted  as  if  but  partially  recovered  from  a 
stunning  blow,  she  replied,  at  the  same  time  pointing  me- 

7 


98  WHY    DID    SHE    DO    IT? 

chanically  toward  an  article  of  furniture  in  the  corner,  "I 
don't  know ;  but  if  it  is  anywhere  about  the  house,  it  may  be 
in  the  drawer  of  that  stand." 

The  agent  had  already  examined  the  stand  thoroughly,  as 
he  supposed.  On  renewing  the  search,  however,  he  dis- 
covered that  its  face  had  been  turned  toward  the  wall  so  as 
to  conceal  the  existence  of  the  drawer.  On  restoring  the  table 
to  its  proper  position,  the  hidden  receptacle  was  revealed, 
and  there,  sure  enough,  were  the  coin  and  ribbon,  with 
several  pieces  of  jewelry,  a  pair  of  kid  gloves,  and  a  number 
of  other  articles  which  were  enclosed  in  the  test  letters  stolen 
an  hour  or  two  before.  Some  of  the  envelopes  were  also 
found  in  the  same  place,  but  the  letters  were  not  there.  The 
scattered  fragments  of  these  were  subsequently  discovered  in 
the  ravine  under  the  window. 

"  Mrs.  Dunston,  will  you  be  kind  enough  to  inform  me  where 
to  look  for  the  letter  containing  seven  dollars  and  a  half?  " 

In  the  same  listless  and  abstracted  manner,  she  replied, 
"O,  I  don't  know;  I  can't  tell ;  but  if  it  is  anywhere,  it  may 
be  in  that  curtain,"  designating  a  particular  window. 

Following  the  indication,  the  officer  untied  the  string,  and 
allowing  the  curtain  to  unroll,  found  the  money  secreted  in 
the  coil. 

"Madam,  there  is  still  another  to  be  accounted  for  —  the 
one  containing  forty-five  dollars ;  what  did  you  do  with 
that  ?  " 

She  hesitated  a  moment,  when  the  husband  spasmodically 
interrupted  the  flow  of  events.  "Tell  it  all,  Faith.  Don't 
keep  anything  back.  You  can't  make  it  any  worse  now." 
At  the  same  time  he  soothingly  stroked  with  both  palms  the 
hair  upon  her  temples,  and  kissed  her  forehead. 

Apparently  in  deep  agony  as  if  appalled  at  the  sacrilege 
of  the  act,  she  replied,  "I  don't  know.  Perhaps  you  may 
find  it  between  the  leaves  of  God's  Holy  Book,  on  the  parlor- 
table." 

The  letter  was  not  there,  but  the  bills  were  scattered  along 


ALMOST    A   TRAGEDY.  O/) 

the  pages  of  the  Old  and  New  Testaments.  The  contents  of 
all  the  decoys  were  recovered. 

It  now  became  necessary  that  she  should  accompany  the 
officers  to  the  county  seat,  for  a  preliminary  hearing  before  a 
United  States  commissioner.  Offering  no  objection  to  the 
proposal,  she  was  permitted  to  leave  the  room  to  make  the 
needful  preparations.  She  started  quietly  for  the  door  lead- 
ing up  stairs,  but  when  opposite  the  open  window,  dashed 
frantically  toward  it,  and  made  a  second  attempt  to  end  her 
life  and  the  investigation  together.  Again  by  a  rapid  spring 
the  officer  interposed  in  time  to  prevent  the  tragedy.  After 
that  there  was  no  relaxation  of  vigilance,  and  as  night  was 
drawing  on,  the  arrangements  for  departure  were  hastily 
pushed  under  the  direct  supervision  of  the  representative  of 
the  post-office  department. 

The  repeated  attempts  at  self-destruction,  following  the 
tumultuous  outbreak  of  passion  and  of  grief,  betrayed  the  fury 
of  the  tempest  that  raged  within.  Well  might  she  join  in 
the  refrain  of  the  common  mother  of  the  race,  when  the 
dread  sentence  of  banishment  from  Eden  was  announced : 

"  Must  I  thus  leave  thee,  Paradise?  thus  leave 
Thee,  native  soil,  these  happy  walks  and  shades. 
Fit  haunt  of  gods?" 

The  four  people  most  deeply  interested  in  the  events  of  the 
hour  were  soon  seated  in  the  carriage  of  the  marshal,  and 
were  bowling  along  at  a  rapid  pace  toward  the  neighboring 
town.  The  agent  whose  sagacity  and  contrivance  had  suc- 
ceeded in  exploding  the  mine  that  had  long  imperiled  the  mails, 
began  to  felicitate  himself  on  the  prospect  of  a  comparatively 
tranquil  termination  to  a  tempestuous  day,  when  another  catas- 
trophe occurred,  which,  for  the  moment,  threatened  to  prove 
more  generally  destructive  than  either  the  projected  leap  from 
the  window  or  the  lunge  from  the  pitchfork.  Bad  news  flies 
fast,  losing  nothing  in  the  way  of  point  or  embellishment  on 
the  road.  While  the  events  described  were  taking  place, 


IOO  WHY    DID    SHE    DO    IT? 

rumors  of  the  arrest  were  dispersed  as  if  on  the  wings  of  the 
wind.  The  excitement  was  intense  and  contagious.  People 
could  not  remain  at  home.  On  account  of  the  social  position, 
wealth,  and  hitherto  irreproachable  character  of  the  prisoner, 
large  crowds,  some  from  curiosity,  others  from  sympathy, 
thronged  into  the  town  from  all  directions,  in  vehicles  of 
every  description,  blockading  the  streets,  and  almost  barricad- 
ing the  entrance  to  the  hotel.  The  high-spirited  team  driven 
by  the  marshal,  growing  impatient  under  the  excitement  of 
the  crush,  became  well-nigh  unmanageable.  Dashing  up  to 
the  pavement  in  front  of  the  "  Fulham  House,"  they  brought 
to  grief  a  couple  of  light  buggies  that  happened  to  obstruct 
the  passage,  and  scattered  the  throng  that  loitered  about  the 
sidewalk. 

Mr.  Dunston  and  the  marshal  alighted,  the  latter  carelessly 
dropping  the  reins  over  the  dashboard.  The  agent  and  pris- 
oner were  about  to  follow,  when  the  horses  started  on  a  furi- 
ous run  up  the  street.  By  the  suddenness  of  the  spring  he 
was  nearly  thrown  headlong  from  the  carriage.  It  had 
grown  quite  dark ;  and  an  interval  that  seemed  long  to  the 
imperiled  traveler,  when  measured  by  the  distance  traversed, 
elapsed  before  the  lost  reins  were  recovered.  To  add  to  the 
terror  of  the  situation,  the  woman  shrieked,  "  Let  them  run  ! 
let  them  run  !  I  want  to  die  !  I  want  to  die  !  "  Her  compagnon 
de  voyage,  not  sharing  in  a  like  ambition  for  summary  extin- 
guishment, succeeded,  by  the  outlay  of  herculean  strength,  in 
stopping  the  span  just  as  they  were  rushing  upon  a  pile  of 
dirt  and  rocks  thrown  from  a  contiguous  excavation.  A  few 

o 

feet  more,  and  the  gratification  of  the  mad  wish  of  the  woman 
would  have  been  tolerably  sure.  The  team  was  driven  back 
to  the  hotel,  with  an  immense  retinue  of  pedestrians  following. 
Irritated  at  the  mishap,  and  eager  for  a  victim  on  whom  to 
empty  the  vials  of  wrath,  the  officer  at  once  interviewed  the 
landlord,  censuring  him  for  permitting  the  blockade  in  front 
of  his  establishment,  and  for  not  furnishing  attendants  at  the 
door  to  care  for  the  horses  of  guests.  Boniface  seemed  to 


VULGAR    CURIOSITY 


101 


appreciate  the  force  of  the  critidsrnvand  •apologized*  wUh 'due 
humility.  As  evidence  of  good  faith  in  the  matter,  he  offered 
to  pay  all  damages,  remarking,  as  if  the  smallness  of  the  loss 
contained  a  suggestion  of  comfort,  "  Only  two  buggies  were 
smashed,  anyhow."  He  also  added  a  malediction  on  the 
owners,  which  a  regard  for  the  proprieties  compels  us  to 
omit. 

Mr.  Dunston  and  the  officers  accompanied  the  prisoner  to 
the  parlor,  where  they  endeavored  to  persuade  her  to  partake 
of  refreshments  ;  but  she  obstinately  refused  either  to  eat  or  to 
drink.  Meanwhile  the  impertinent  curiosity  of  the  multitude, 
some  of  whom  acted  like  half-tamed  boys  at  a  menagerie,  be- 
came excessively  annoying.  The  nuisance  soon  reached  a 
crisis.  A  hatchet-faced  woman,  preceded  by  a  nose,  long,  and 
thin,  and  sharp  of  edge,  that  inverted  might  have  served  as  an 
excellent  model  for  the  prow  of  a  blockade-runner,  raised  the 
latch,  and,  peering  into  the  room,  soliloquized  in  an  under- 
tone, "  Neow  dew  tell.  Who'd  V  tho't  it?  "  Her  glassy  eye 
shot  forth  a  gleam  of  triumph,  as  if  happy  in  fancied  superi- 
ority to  the  poor  woman  who  had  always  been  held  up  to  the 
sisterhood  as  a  model  of  excellence.  But  the  expression  of 
sinister  satisfaction  on  that  ill-omened  countenance  was  of 
short  duration.  Exasperated  at  the  inhumanity  of  the  pro- 
ceeding, the  representative  of  the  post-office  department  gave 
the  door  so  sudden  a  slam  that  it  impinged  with  considerable 
force  on  the  summit  of  her  proboscis.  A  stifled  scream  of  pain 
and  a  tiny  stream  of  blood  followed  simultaneously.  A  mo- 
ment after,  the  door  burst  open,  and  there  was  presented  the 
apparition  of  a  giant,  crowned  with  a  shock  of  that  fiery  red 
hair  indicative  of  a  temper  at  once  sanguinary  and  irascible. 
Hardly  deigning  to  bestow  a  look  on  the  inmates,  he  came 
directly  to  the  point.  "  Whar's  the  chap  that  hurt  my  wife  ?  " 

Our  David,  himself  a  man  of  powerful  frame  and  dauntless 
courage,  satisfied  from  the  passion  flaming  on  the  visage  of 
Goliath  that  the  fellow  meant  mischief,  thought  it  better  to 
overcome  him  by  a  ruse  than  by  a  sling.  Pointing  to  another 


102 


WHY    OID    SHE    DO    IT? 


doer  on  the  side  of  the  room,  he  quietly  answered,  "  A  ser- 
vant just  stepped  out'.  'He  niay  be  the  person  you  are  looking 
for." 

The  giant  stalked  across  the  parlor,  and,  to  the  relief  of  the 
occupants,  disappeared.  It  so  happened,  however,  that  on 
emerging  into  the  hall  he  espied  a  servant  turning  a  corner  in 
the  rear.  Taking  it  for  granted  that  this  was  the  "  chap  who 
hurt  his  wife,"  he  followed  with  huge  strides  the  unsuspect- 
ing victim  of  misplaced 

"t/A 


It' 


confidence,  and  with 
his  massive  fist  deliv- 
ered a  blow  that  might 
have  felled  an  ox.  As 
the  sequel,  a  late  im- 
migrant from  Hibernia 
measured  his  full  length 
upon  the  floor,  a  vica- 
rious sacrifice  for  the 
offense  of  another. 

When  quiet  was  re- 
stored, the  prisoner  re- 
quested the  husband, 
who  continued  to  hang 
over  her,  watching  ev- 
ery movement  with  the 
devotion  of  a  lover,  to 
leave  her  alone  with  the 
special  agent ;  and  he,  thinking  that  she  intended  to  make 
further  disclosures,  joined  in  the  request.  Both  sat  in  silence 
a  few  minutes,  the  officer  supposing  that  she  was  trying  to  col- 
lect her  scattered  thoughts.  All  at  once  he  noticed  a  peculiar 
movement  of  the  right  hand  over  the  left  breast,  accompa- 
nied by  a  convulsive  contraction  of  the  face,  caused  appar- 
ently by  a  twinge  of  pain.  Divining  the  purpose  of  the 
wretched  woman,  he  grasped  her  hand,  and  drawing  it  away, 
encountered  the  gleam  of  steel.  With  a  long,  dirk-shaped 


"  With  a  long,  dirk  shaped  needle,  she  was  try- 
ing to  pierce  her  heart." 


DETERMINED    UPON    SELF-DESTRUCTION.  IO3 

needle  she  was  trying  to  pierce  her  heart,  and  had  partially 
succeeded,  for  blood  followed  the  withdrawal  of  the  instrument. 

The  others  were  recalled  and  a  surgeon  sent  for.  It  was 
found  that  the  needle  had  penetrated  three-fourths  of  an  inch, 
but  slightly  missing  the  heart.  During  the  rest  of  the  night 
a  vigilant  guard  was  kept  over  the  prisoner,  the  agony  of  the 
stricken  husband  touching  the  sympathies  of  the  watchers  not 
less  than  the  misery  of  the  wife.  He  refused  to  lie  down  or 
take  rest,  but  passed  the  weary  hours  in  pacing  the  room 
and  adjacent  corridor,  wringing  his  hands,  and  ejaculating, 
fr  Faith,  Faith,  my  old  girl  —  my  dear  old  girl,  why  did  you 
do  this?  You  didn't  know  what  you  were  doing  —  no,  no,  I 
know  you  didn't.  Forty  years  we  have  been  together,  and 
this  is  our  first  sorrow.  Thank  God,  we  have  no  children  to 
suffer  with  us." 

After  the  stormy  and  afflictive  scenes  of  the  day  but  few 
fitful  snatches  of  sleep  visited  the  eyelids  of  the  agent  during 
the  night.  It  is  always  painful  to  an  officer  to  be  instrumen- 
tal in  exposing  crime  where  the  suffering  falls  with  equal 
weight  upon  the  innocent  and  upon  the  guilty.  He  has,  how- 
ever, no  choice  or  alternative.  As  Justice,  in  her  stern  and 
inflexible  decrees,  regards  not  age,  or  sex,  or  station,  neither 
can  the  servants  commissioned  to  obey  her  behests.  Respon- 
sibility for  the  suffering  is  not  theirs,  nor  would  any  right- 
minded  person,  where  proper  consideration  has  been  shown 
for  the  feelings  of  others,  hold  them  in  the  slightest  degree  of 
censure. 

"  So  may  you  blame  some  fair  and  crystal  river, 
For  that  some  melancholic,  distracted  man 
Hath  drowned  himself  in't." 

The  next  morning  .the  party  took  the  early  train  for  the 
county-seat,  the  prisoner  apparently  calm  and  imperturbable. 
Soon  after  the  cars  moved  out  of  the  depot,  rising  from  her 
seat,  she  snatched  the  hat  from  her  head,  and  tore  it  into 
shreds.  Her  shawl  she  trampled  under  foot,  and  seizing  her 


104 


WHY    DID    SHE    DO    ITT 


dress  with  both  hands,  by  a  frantic  effort  nearly  succeeded  in 
disrobing  herself.  Among  the  passengers  consternation  fol- 
lowed this  wild  outburst  of  passion.  By  gentle  firmness  and 
mild  persuasion  the  special  agent,  who  had  now  acquired 
more  control  over  the  prisoner  than  any  one  else,  soothed 
her  into  tranquillity,  when  the  ladies  in  the  coach,  many  of 
them  friends  of  long  standing,  kindly  came  forward,  and 
furnished  the  needful  articles  of  apparel  to  render  her  again 
presentable.  After  this  she  passed  into  a  condition  of  com- 


•'  Kising  from  her  seat,  she  snatched  the  hat  from  her  head,  and  tore 
it  into  shreds.'1 

plete  quietude  and  passivity,  apparently  resigned  for  what- 
ever fate  might  have  in  store.  Thenceforward  to  the  end 
of  the  trial  she  continued  perfectly  calm,  giving  no  further 
trouble. 

On  arriving  at  their  destination,  the  officers  found  that  the 
United  States  commissioner  was  absent.  They  accordingly 
proceeded  on  to  one  of  the  large  interior  towns  of  the  state, 


"THE  HUSBAND,  so  TENDER  AND  TRUE." 


IOS 


where  the  sessions  of  the  district  court  are  held  at  stated  in- 
tervals. 

Within  a  couple  of  weeks  the  trial  took  place.  Nearly  all 
the  influential  people  from  the  county  of  the  Dunstons  were 
present  to  plead  for  mercy  in  behalf  of  a  beloved  neighbor, 


\ 


"  The  husband,  so  tender,  and  true,  and  faithful,  that  he  would  willingly  have 
bared  his  own  heart  to  the  shaft  to  spare  that  of  the  wife,  stood  at  her  side  to 
support  her  trembling  form." 

who  had  sinned,  as  they  believed,  from  some  lack  of  men- 
tal equilibrium  hitherto  unsuspected.  So  effective  were  these 
appeals,  supported  as  they  were  by  the  ardent  efforts  of  the 
officer  who  brought  the  crimes  to  light,  and  who  in  the  present 
undertaking  had  the  hearty  concurrence  of  the  postmaster- 


JO6  WHY    DID    SHE    DO    IT? 

general,  to  whom  the  facts  had  been  communicated,  that  the 
prisoner  was  permitted  to  plead  guilty  to  a  minor  count  in 
the  indictment,  involving  a  slight  punishment  only.  The  re- 
maining counts  were  quashed. 

The  husband,  so  tender,  and  true,  and  faithful,  that  he 
would  willingly  have  bared  his  own  heart  to  the  shaft  to 
spare  that  of  the  wife,  stood  at  her  side  to  support  her  trem- 
bling form,  as  she  rose  to  receive  the  sentence  of  the  court, 
—  a  sight  which  so  affected  the  judge,  the  jury,  and  the 
audience,  that  there  was  scarcely  a  dry  eye  in  all  that  vast 
concourse. 

In  the  most  feeling  manner  the  judge  addressed  the  pris- 
oner, expressing  profound  sorrow  that  one  in  her  position 
should  be  brought  to  such  humiliation.  He  closed  in  sub- 
stance thus  :  "  I  am  glad  to  witness  the  devotion  of  your  good 
husband,  who  stands  by  you  unfalteringly  in  this  dark  hour. 
The  cross  is  yours,  the  crown  is  his.  If  I  had  the  power, 
I  would  open  the  doors  of  this  court-room,  and  say,  f  Go  in 
peace ; '  but  the  law  is  above  me,  and  I  am  its  humble  instru- 
ment. The  court  sentences  you  to  pay  a  fine  of  five  hundred 
dollars,  and  to  imprisonment  for  ten  days." 

Had  it  been  allowable,  Mr.  Dunston  would  have  shared  the 
cell  with  his  wife.  As  it  was,  he  attended  her  as  closely  as 
the  rules  of  the  jail  would  permit.  Meanwhile  the  prisoner 
beguiled  the  hours  by  knitting  incessantly. 

No  motive  ever  appeared  for  these  extraordinary  robberies. 
When  mental  laws  are  better  understood,  perhaps  philosophy 
will  be  able  to  explain  the  mystery. 


OWARD  the  close  of  Feb- 
ruary, several  years  ago, the 
cars  left  one  of  our  special 
agents,  shortly  after  night- 
fall, at  a  wayside  station, 
not  far  from  the  foot  of  the 
mountain  ranges  of  Geor- 
gia. The  railroad  extended 
but  lew  miles  beyond,  and 
was  still  in  process  of  con- 
struction. As  yet  a  clear- 
ing had  hardly  been  made 
in  the  dense  forests  which 
stretched  away  in  all  direc- 
tions, even  for  the  frail 
shelter  that  served  as  a 
depot.  The  objective  point 
of  the  officer  was  a  village 
ten  or  eleven  miles  distant ; 

The  broken  hearted  wile  was  left  day  after  . 

day  to  the  solitary  companionship  of  sad    and,    until    hlS    hopes    Were 
thoughts  and  gloomy  forebodings."  suddehly  dashed  by  the  Sta- 

tion agent,  he  supposed  there  would  be  no  difficulty  in  pro- 
ceeding on  to  his  destination  the  same  evening.  He  was  in- 
formed, however,  that  the  mail  left  in  the  morning,  and  that 
there  was  no  chance  for  a  passenger  by  the  night  train  to 
reacft  town  the  same  day,  unless  he  had  previously  arranged 


io8 


A    DESPERADO    ROUTED. 


to  have  a  conveyance  sent  over  expressly  to  meet  him.  He 
received,  moreover,  the  somewhat  depressing  information  that 
there  was  no  habitation  in  the  neighborhood  where  a  stranger 
could  obtain  lodging.  The  station-agent  lived  several  miles 
away,  his  family  were  sick,  and  he  had  no  horse.  The  rum- 
ble of  the  departing  train  had  already  died  away  in  the  dis- 
tance, and  the  depot-master  was  about  to  close  the  shanty  for 
the  night,  when  a  wrinkled  but  cheery  face  appeared  at  the 


"  Mounting  the  ox- wagon  with  half  a  dozen  bright-faced  children,  they  rode 
for  an  hour  through  the  woods." 

door,  at  the  sight  of  which  the  stranger  felt  instinctively  that 
the  kindly  old  man  would  never  turn  a  fellow-being  away. 
Without  waiting  for  persuasion  or  argument,  he  freely  ex- 
tended the  hospitalities  of  his  home.  Mounting  the  ox-wagon 
with  half  a  dozen  bright-faced  children,  who  kept  their  father 
company,  they  rode  for  an  hour  through  the  woods,  in  the 
light  of  the  bright  full  moon,  till  they  reached  the  plain  but 


A    HARDENED    VILLAIN. 

happy  abode  of  the  warm-hearted  farmer.  Huge  logs,  blazing 
on  the  hearth,  lit  up  the  family  room,  recalling  the  primitive 
days  when  whole  households  nestled  on  wintry  nights  in  the 
corners  of  the  capacious  fire-places. 

Early  the  next  morning  a  couple  of  mules,  saddled  and 
bridled,  were  brought  to  the  door,  and  our  chance  acquaint- 
ance piloted  the  officer  to  town.  He  was  chatty  and  commu- 
nicative, and,  in  a  gentle,  undemonstrative  way,  seemed  rather 
piqued  that  his  confidences  were  not  returned  with  equal 
freedom. 

The  village  post-office  was  kept  by  the  widow  of  the  late 
postmaster,  the  family  comprising  herself  and  a  daughter  of 
sixteen.  Unfortunately  for  her  reputation  and  happiness,  the 
mother  had  by  degrees  come  to  intrust  its  management  to  a 
great  extent  to  a  desperado  whom  nearly  every  one  in  the 
community  both  hated  and  feared.  Born  of  an  honorable 
ancestry,  he  had  wasted  his  youth  in  dissipation,  squandered 
his  patrimony,  wronged  the  younger  members  of  the  family 
out  of  their  rightful  inheritance,  and  was  commonly  suspected 
of  having  committed  still  darker  crimes  for  the  purpose  of 
hiding  his  guilt.  A  year  before  he  married  a  beautiful  girl, 
only  to  treat  her,  and  the  infant  she  bore,  with  brutal  neglect. 
Ere  the  honeymoon  had  passed,  the  broken-hearted  wife  was 
left,  day  after  day,  to  the  solitary  companionship  of  sad 
thoughts  and  gloomy  forebodings,  while  the  husband  became 
more  deeply  infatuated  with  the  surroundings  of  the  post- 
office.  Alone  she  watched  till  late  into  night  for  steps  that 
did  not  come.  For  the  bride  of  twelve  months,  crushed 
by  crueltv  and  withered  by  neglect,  life  was  robbed  of  its 
joys,  and  the  future  held  in  store  nothing  brighter  than  the 
grave. 

Although  greatly  incensed  at  the  scandalous  misconduct  of 
the  man  who  seemed  to  have  acquired  a  complete  and  fatal 
mastery  over  the  postmaster,  and  through  whose  hands  all 
their  correspondence  had  to  pass,  if  pass  it  might,  the  public 
made  but  feeble  efforts  to  throw  off  the  load,  having  settled 


IIO  A    DESPERADO    ROUTED. 

into  the  sullen  but  mistaken  belief  that  through  the  indiffer- 
ence of  the  government  to  the  character  of  officials,  their 
wrongs  were  without  remedy.  In  answer  to  an  inquiry  from 
the  department  regarding  a  rifled  registered  letter  received 
there  for  delivery  from  a  town  in  Virginia,  the  clerk,  deviat- 
ing from  the  customary  routine,  at  great  length  attempted  to 
account  for  complaints  which  he  surmised  might  be  pour- 
ing in  upon  the  postmaster-general,  on  the  theory  that  the 
people,  through  continued  disloyalty,  omitted  no  opportunity 
to  make  unjust  reflections  upon  the  friends  of  the  Union, 
begging  that  this  fact  might  be  considered  in  estimating  the 
value  of  popular  murmurs. 

As  it  was  necessary  to  have  his  co-operation,  the  agent  made 
known  his  business  to  the  contractor  who  carried  the  mails  to 
the  depot,  and  who  also  kept  the  village  hotel.  This  gentle- 
man imparted  the  information  that  certain  individuals  in  the 
community  were  suffering  fearfully  from  depredations  on  the 
mails,  and  mentioned  numerous  instances  to  substantiate  the 
statement.  Out  of  the  multitude  of  losses  only  three  had  been 
reported  to  the  proper  officials,  showing  how  neglectful  suf- 
ferers are  of  the  duty,  owed  alike  to  themselves  and  to  others, 
of  promptly  notifying  the  department  of  such  troubles,  that 
the  needful  steps  may  be  taken  to  correct  them,  by  bringing 
the  offenders  to  punishment.  Here  was  a  "bonanza"  of  petty 
thievery  the  operations  of  which  were  carried  on  without 
molestation  simply  because  the  parties  most  deeply  interested 
neglected  to  communicate  the  facts.  Not  being  omniscient, 
the  government  cannot  well  correct  evils  of  which  it  has  no 
knowledge,  though  often  blamed  for  not  doing  so. 

A  decoy,  sufficiently  distended  with  greenbacks  to  betray 
its  probable  value,  and  directed  to  Louisville,  Ky.,  to  a  some- 
what questionable -absorbent  of  the  funds  of  the  gullible,  was 
dropped,  in  the  afternoon,  into  the  letter-box  at  the  post-office. 
It  should  have  left  early  the  next  morning,  but  a  careful 
search  of  the  mail-pouch  failed  to  discover  it.  Though  it  is 
always  a  matter  of  grave  doubt  when  it  is  best  to  begin  the 


A   DEJECTED    BRIDEGROOM.  Ill 

hunt  for  a  letter  that  has  thus  mysteriously  disappeared,  the 
agent  concluded  to  delay  another  day.  If  the  contents  had 
been  actually  stolen,  there  seemed  to  be  no  feasible  mode  of 
reaching  the  fact  indirectly  without  exciting  suspicion. 

As  several  people  in  the  village  knew  him  by  sight,  he  was 
obliged  to  remain  in-doors,  content  with  such  entertainment  as 
a  rural  hotel  afforded.  The  tedium  was  relieved  in  a  measure 
by  the  plaintive  garrulity  of  a  countryman  from  a  distant  part 
of  the  state,  who  seemed  to  experience  great  comfort  in  find- 
ing a  patient  listener  into  whose  ear  he  could  pour  the  tale  of 
his  infelicities.  More  than  seventy  years  had  passed  over  his 
head,  leaving  few  wrinkles  to  tell  the  story  of  toil  and  hard- 
ship. Yet  he  had  no  associates  about  the  inn,  and  his  ener- 
gies were  unnerved  by  deep  despondency.  The  officer  invited 
him  to  his  room  to  share  the  comforts  of  an  open  fire-place, 
where  the  genial  blaze  soon  thawed  out  his  confidences. 

"I  tell  you  what,  stranger,  — what  mout  I  call  your  name? 

—  I  reckon  my  wife  —  my  second  wife  I'm  speaking  of  now 

—  is  the  queerest  woman  you  ever  seen  or  heerd  tell  on." 
"  How  so,  my  good  friend,  —  what  is  the  matter?  " 

"  My  first  wife  wras  jest  as  different  as  she  could  be.  A 
good  woman  —  a  right  good  woman  she  was.  We  lived  to- 
gether over  thirty  years,  —  she  was  the  mother  of  eight  chil- 
dren,—  and  in  all  that  time  I  never  had  to  smack  her  chops 
once.  She  never  spoke  a  cross  word,  and  allers  did  jest  as  I 
told  her." 

"  Blessed  woman  !  She  passed  on  to  a  happier  existence  — 
did  she?" 

"  Yes ;  she  died,  and  the  old  house  was  powerful  lonely. 
You  see,  stranger,  my  gals  had  growd  up  and  got  married, 
and  I  was  left  by  myself  sorter.  The  darter  of  a  neighbor  of 
mine  —  a  mighty  purty  gal  she  was,  too  —  peared  to  take  a 
great  fancy  to  me,  and  came  gallivantin'  round,  so  sweet  that 
honey  wouldn't  melt  in  her  mouth.  Wall,  I  kinder  took  a 
likin'  to  her  ;  and  things  was  so  out  o'  jint  about  home  that  we 
struck  up  a  match  right  off." 


112 


A   DESPERADO    ROUTED. 


"  Hope  you  did  not  have  any  trouble,  neighbor." 
"Trouble,  stranger!  —  nothin'  but  trouble.  That  woman 
knew  I  had  a  big  plantation,  and  she  korted  me  'cause  I'se 
rich.  Poor  gal,  she  was ;  hadn't  nothin'  to  speak  of  herself 
—  Proud  as  thunder  —  Began  to  raise  the  '  Old  Scratch '  right 
off — Wanted  a  bran  new  kerridge,  and  the  best  horses  in  the 
county  —  Couldn't  get  dresses  enough,  nor  nice  enough  — 
Couldn't  stand  it,  I  couldn't  —  got  mad,  I  did.  Had  a  time  — 
we  did  —  right  along." 


"  Quarrel,  stranger !     Why,  I  whipped  that  woman  every  day,  reglar." 

"  You  did  not  quarrel  ?  " 

w  Quarrel,  stranger !  Why,  I  whipped  that  woman  every 
day,  reg'lar.  Had  to.  No  livin'  without.  I  hated  to ;  but 
what  else  could  a  man  do,  now?" 

"  Did  you  ever  try  kindness  ?  " 

"  Yes.  About  a  year  ago  I  made  up  my  mind  never  to 
strike  her  again,  no  matter  how  bad  she  acted ;  and  I  never 
did,  stranger.  Sometimes  she  made  me  powerful  mad,  but  I 
allers  kept  my  hands  off." 


HOME    HAS    NO    CHARMS. 

*  Under  the  new  treatment,  didn't  she  behave  better?  " 

"Better!  There's  no  better  about  that  woman.  Soon  as 
the  whippings  stopped,  the  devil  in  her  came  out  worse  than 
ever.  Nothin'  in  the  wide  univarse  but  a  good  floggin'  every 
day  could  keep  her  under ;  but  arter  makin'  up  my  mind,  I 
wasn't  goin'  to  whip  her  again  even  to  save  her." 

"So  you  thought  you  would  leave  her  a  while,  and  so  wan- 
dered hither  ?" 

"  Not  exactly.  She  ran  away  from  me.  Six  weeks  ago  I 
came  home  one  cold  night :  the  fire  was  all  out,  and  she  was 
gone.  As  I  got  my  supper  alone,  I  felt  powerful  sad ;  I  have 
felt  so  ever  since  —  can't  throw  it  off.  You  know  arter  a  man 
gets  kinder  wonted  to  a  woman,  some  way  he  don't  know 
how  to  get  along  without  her.  Never  thought  I  should  miss 
her  so." 

"  It  is  a  hard  case  indeed.     What  did  you  do  about  it?  " 

"The  next  day  I  rode  over  to  her  father's,  but  she  wasn't 
thar.  I  went  on  to  her  brother's,  and  she  wouldn't  see  me.  I 
told  him  to  offer  her  everything  if  she  would  come  back.  It 
didn't  do  no  good.  Couldn't  move  her  an  inch." 

"  And  you  went  back  without  her  ?  " 

"Without  her,  yes,  all  by  myself.  The  old  place  was  so 
dismal  —  all  alone  —  that  I  couldn't  stay  there.  Thought  I 
would  go  off  a  long  ways.  Mebbe,  when  she  heerd  I  was 
gone,  she  mout  feel  different,  and  come  back." 

"  How  much  further  do  you  propose  to  travel  ?  " 

"Don't  know;  don't  much  care.  For  me  the  bottom  has 
sorter  dropt  out  o'  things.  Don't  matter  much  what  comes  o' 
me  now." 

"You  are  quite  a  distance  from  home  now,  my  friend,  and 
have  travelled  over  some  rough  country." 

"That's  so,  stranger.  I  never  had  an  idee  before  that  the 
world  was  so  big  a  place.  Wonder  if  it  reaches  as  far  the 
other  way  from  my  plantation  as  it  does  this?" 

As  well  as  he  could,  the  special  agent  tried  to  comfort  the 
old  man,  and,  as  his  manner  seemed  to  solicit  counsel,  advised 
8 


114  A    DESPERADO    ROUTED. 

him  to  return  home  and  try  to  win  back  his  wife  by  gentle- 
ness and  affection.  He  appeared  to  recognize  the  propriety 
of  the  suggestions,  and  promised  to  act  upon  them.  Circum- 
stances never  threw  him  in  the  way  of  learning  how  the  pol- 
icy of  conciliation  succeeded. 

The  next  morning  the  outgoing  mail  was  again  examined, 
but  the  letter  for  Louisville  was  not  to  be  found.  Warrants 
were  quietly  procured  for  the  search  of  the  premises  and  the 
arrest  of  the  suspected  parties.  It  so  happened  that  the  clerk 
had  gone  out  for  an  early  hunt ;  and  the  sheriff  of  the  county, 
who  took  a  deep  interest  in  capturing  the  marauders,  was 
directed  to  be  on  the  outlook  for  his  return,  and  to  take  him 
in  custody  before  he  had  an  opportunity  to  communicate  with 
any  one.  In  company  with  the  contractor  the  agent  pro- 
ceeded to  the  post-office  to  learn  what  could  be  discovered 
there. 

The  postmaster,  a  woman  of  perhaps  thirty-eight  or  forty, 
still  retained  many  traces  of  personal  beauty.  Gentle  in  man- 
ner, correct  and  expressive  in  conversation,  and  modest  in 
deportment,  she  would  have  passed  among  strangers  as 
a  lady  of  character  and  accomplishments.  By  previous 
arrangement  the  contractor  planted  himself  in  such  a  posi- 
tion that  neither  of  the  women  could  leave  the  room,  as,  if  a 
robbery  had  been  committed,  it  would  take  but  a  moment  to 
destroy  every  trace  of  it,  while  in  examinations  of  this  kind 
every  point  must  be  guarded. 

A  most  painful  duty,  but  one  that  could  not  be  shirked,  now 
devolved  upon  them.  About  woman,  as  woman,  hovers  a 
sanctity  which  man  involuntarily  respects.  He  finds  his  de- 
light in  rendering  her  homage,  and  in  bearing,  so  far  as  may 
be,  her  burdens.  Except  among  the  outcasts  of  society, 
whither  post-officials  are  seldom  required  to  go,  the  foot- 
marks of  crime  happily  lead  but  rarely  back  to  a  female. 
Sex,  however,  offers  no  immunity  for  guilt.  If  woman,  for- 
getful of  her  high  prerogatives,  violates  the  law,  neither  it 
nor  its  officers  can  discriminate  in  her  favor.  For  the  moment 


A   CLUE    DISCOVERED.  115 

they  are  compelled  to  repress  habitual  sympathies,  and  to  rec- 
ognize nothing  but  the  stern  exactions  of  justice. 

After  examining  under  some  pretext  all  the  usual  recepta- 
cles for  mail  matter  without  discovering  the  lost  missive,  the 
object  of  the  visit  was  plainly  stated.  Both  mother  and 
daughter  protested  they  had  no  knowledge  of  the  letter. 
Tears  flowed  plentifully,  but  dropped  on  hearts  of  oak.  At 
length  a  painful  and  exhaustive  search,  prolonged  for  nearly 
two  wearisome  hours,  was  rewarded  with  success.  Under  a 
large  box,  where  it  could  not  have  been  placed  except  by 
design,  the  letter  was  found.  It  bore  the  post-mark  of  the 
office,  and,  after  much  deliberation,  had  evidently  been  laid 
aside  for  future  dissection.  It  was  probably  put  there  by  the 
mother  for  concealment  from  her  co-partner,  the  clerk,  on  the 
ground  that  he  was  not  dividing  the  spoils  squarely. 

It  would  have  suited  the  parties  engaged  in  the  hunt  much 
better  to  have  discovered  the  money  on  the  person  of  the  man, 
but  there  was  no  alternative  save  to  accept  things  as  they  were 
found.  While  the  fact  of  embezzlement  was  indisputable,  it 
was  clearly  impossible  to  prove  which  of  the  three  committed 
the  act,  as  either  one  might  have  done  it,  and  without  the 
knowledge  of  the  others.  It  was  the  general  belief  that 
the  desperado  employed  as  clerk  was  chiefly  responsible  for 
the  thefts  that  for  a  year  or  more  had  annoyed  incessantly  an 
uncomplaining  public,  and  a  few  leading  citizens  were  exceed- 
ingly anxious  to  have  the  affair  so  managed  as  to  induce  the 
postmaster  to  make  a  full  disclosure  of  all  she  knew.  As  the 
woman  still  professed  entire  ignorance  of  any  criminal  acts  in 
connection  with  the  office,  a  change  of  resolution  on  her  part 
could  only  be  effected  by  tact  and  time.  As  a  preliminary 
move,  she  was  accordingly  informed  that,  being  the  custodian 
of  the  mails,  she  was  accountable  in  a  measure  for  the  robber- 
ies, and  must  submit  to  a  legal  investigation. 

A  venerable  justice  of  the  peace,  called  upon  to  sign  the 
papers  and  to  act  as  committing  magistrate,  stood  ready,  as 
usual  in  such  cases,  to  follow  the  suggestions  of  the  special 


Il6  A   DESPERADO    ROUTED. 

agent.  Not  a  person  in  the  place  could  be  induced  to  go  upon 
a  bond  for  her  appearance.  In  the  extremity  of  her  need  the 
poor  woman  stood  alone  without  friend  or  counselor,  the  long 
suppressed  disgust  and  wrath  of  the  public  culminating  in  a 
desire  to  rid  the  village  forever,  if  possible,  of  the  partners  in 
crime.  Not  a  dollar  would  any  one  risk  for  her  liberty.  If 
secret  commiseration  was  felt  by  any  one  in  the  community, 
it  found  no  expression. 

A  stranger  in  the  town,  and  unfamiliar  with  the  associations 
which  brought  down  upon  her  devoted  head  the  detestation  of 
the  neighborhood,  the  sympathies  of  the  officer  in  her  behalf 
were  strongly  aroused.  Since  the  evidence  in  possession  of 
the  government  fell  far  short  of  the  ample  and  definite  legal 
proof  required  for  conviction  in  court,  he  did  not  feel  justified 
in  imposing  any  unnecessary  hardship  upon  a  defenceless 
woman  already  tortured  by  the  pangs  of  awakening  con- 
science, and  crushed  by  the  sudden  collapse  of  all  her  hopes, 
however  far  she  might  have  strayed  from  the  path  of  recti- 
tude. After  due  consideration,  the  magistrate  accordingly 
accepted  her  personal  recognizance  in  the  sum  of  five  hun- 
dred dollars  to  answer  for  trial  at  the  next  term  of  the  United 
States  Court.  Of  course  the  bond  being  a  mere  form,  left  the 
prosecution  to  depend  wholly  upon  her  good  faith. 

Meanwhile  the  clerk  returned  from  the  hunt,  and,  having 
no  opportunity  to  communicate  with  his  late  confederate,  was 
as  irrepressible  as  an  overcharge  of  electricity  struggling  to 
join  its  opposite.  Nearly  six  feet  tall,  with  the  frame  of  a 
Hercules,  a  magnificent  physique,  and  a  face  rather  handsome 
in  superficial  expression,  his  bodily  perfection  only  brought 
out  more  conspicuously  his  mental  and  moral  deformities. 
With  an  eye  cruel  but  irresolute,  and  a  countenance  in  which' 
the  effeminacy  produced  by  early  indulgence  had  been  hard- 
ened into  desperation  by  evil  thoughts  and  wicked  deeds,  his 
purposes  evidently  vibrated  between  malignity  and  cowardice. 
A  single  searching  look  sufficed  to  convince  even  a  stranger 
that  he  was  an  assassin  by  instinct,  ready  on  provocation  to 


MURDER    IN    HIS    HEART. 


117 


stab  in  the  dark,  or  to  fire  from  an  ambush.  In  the  gloomy 
recesses  of  his  heart,  brutality  and  fear  struggled  for  mastery, 
the  dread  of  retribu- 
tion being  the  chief, 
if  not  the  only  force 
that  withheld  him 
from  giving  full  li- 
cense to  his  ferocious 
impulses. 

In  the  evening  the 
special  agent  met  two 
or  three  gentlemen  of 
the  place,  who  had 
in  various  ways  been 
drawn  into  the  inves- 
tigation, to  take  an 
inventory  of  the 
stamps  and  other 
property  belonging  to 
the  government,  with 
the  view  of  placing 
the  office  in  the  cus- 
tody of  a  reputable  party  till  a  new  postmaster  could  be  com- 
missioned. The  bond  of  the  incumbent  was  worthless,  her 
confederate  being  the  principal  surety.  She  expressed  great 
anxiety  to  get  rid  of  a  responsibility  that  had  led  through  con- 
stant troubles  and  vexations  to  what  seemed  at  last  her  irre- 
trievable ruin. 

The  office  was  kept  in  the  front  room  of  a  small  house  con- 
taining two  or  three  poorly  furnished  apartments,  which  served 
also  as  the  dwelling  of  the  postmaster  and  her  daughter.  A 
door  and  window  opened  upon  a  piazza,  the  public  receiving 
their  mails  through  the  window.  While  the  group  were  at 
work  taking  an  account  of  stock,  the  clerk,  maddened  with 
liquor  and  frenzied  with  passion,  crept  stealthily  on  to  the 
piazza,  armed  with  a  double-barreled  gun.  He  pressed 


The  Desperado. 


nS 


A    DESPERADO    ROUTED, 


against  the  thin  partition-wall,  so  that  his  subdued,  irregular 
breathing  and  muffled  movements  could  be  heard  within.     A 


"  The  clerk,  maddened  with  liiuor  and  frenzied  with  passion,  crept  stealthily  on 
to  the  piazza,  armed  with  a  double  barreled  gun." 

light  curtain  concealed  the  persons  in  the  room  from  the  evil 
eye  peering  through  the  window.  A  drunken  vagabond, 
though  capable  of  doing  little  good,  carries  in  his  hand  a  ter- 
rible capacity  for  mischief.  A  shot  prompted  by  frenzy  snuffs 
out  an  existence  just  as  effectually  as  a  cannon-ball  or  an 
earthquake.  Yet,  while  not  boastful  of  courage,  the  special 
agent  experienced  not  a  particle  of  fear.  With  a  certain  clair- 
voyant insight,  vague,  ill-defined,  shadowy,  but  firmly  trusted, 
he  felt  assured  that  the  black-hearted  wretch,  with  rage  and 
desperation  goading  him  to  madness,  was  too  great  a  coward 
to  shoot  except  from  an  ambush.  Murder  black  as  midnight 
fired  his  heart,  but  perhaps  a  dozen  hidden  eyes  swept  that 
piazza.  The  party  kept  on  with  their  work,  and  after  a  while 


RECKLESS    SHOOTING. 

the  desperado  stole  away.  In  a  few  minutes  a  gun  was  heard 
on  the  public  square,  followed  at  intervals  by  another  and  an- 
other till  late  into  the  dead  hours  of  night. 

The  reader  may  ask  why  an  armed  ruffian  was  permitted 
without  hinderance  to  patrol  the  streets  of  the  village,  dis- 
turbing the  peace  and  terrifying  the  timorous.  The  question 
is  more  easily  put  than  answered.  The  sheriff,  an  officer  of 
courage  and  determination,  appeared  rather  reluctant  to 
grapple  the  problem,  while  others,  however  much  incensed  at 
the  latest  outbreak  of  the  diabolism  that  had  long  held  them 
in  dread,  found  a  ready  excuse  for  inaction  in  the  plea  that  as 
private  citizens,  not  specially  charged  with  the  preservation 
of  order,  they  could  not  be  expected  to  repress  the  dis- 
turbance. 

By  the  dangerous  toleration  extended  to  cut-throats,  the 
South  has  been  greatly,  and  in  a  measure  unjustly,  scandal- 
ized in  the  eyes  of  the  civilized  world.  An  overwhelming 
majority  of  her  people  in  the  rural  districts,  which  are  sup- 
posed to  be  the  hotbeds  of  turbulence  and  disorder,  are 
peaceful,  law-abiding,  and  humane.  Behind  the  North  in 
education,  and  in  the  spirit  of  aggressive  benevolence  that 
finds  expression  in  missionary  enterprises  abroad,  and  in  the 
establishment  of  manifold  institutions  of  charity  at  home,  the 
people  of  the  South  to  a  much  greater  degree  rest  content  to 
do  good  as  it  comes  in  their  way,  being  passive  rather  than 
active  in  efforts  for  the  advancement  of  society.  Life  in  its 
varied  phases  is  much  more  isolated  and  individual,  with  far 
less  tendency  to  gregariousness  and  co-operation.  Hence, 
instead  of  pouncing  collectively  upon  desperadoes  through 
the  arm  of  the  law,  upheld  and  strengthened  by  a  healthy 
public  sentiment,  they  too  often  stand  aloof,  venting  their 
wrath  in  secret  and  harmless  maledictions.  Many  a  ruffian, 
stained  with  the  blood  of  repeated  murders,  walks  unpunished 
in  the  arena  of  his  crimes,  a  prolonged  scourge  and  terror  to 
the  neighborhood.  The  courage  that  can  storm  a  battery 
without  a  tremor  relaxes  fearfully  in  the  presence  of  bravo 


I2O  A   DESPERADO    ROUTED. 

and  pistols.  So  long  as  such  lawlessness  and  violence  are 
permitted  to  exist,  the  communities  that  endure  them  will 
suffer  more  in  reputation  from  what  they  neglect  than  from 
what  they  do  —  from  the  sin  of  omission  than  from  the  sin  of 
commission.  The  evil,  aggravated  by  the  radical  transition 
through  which  society  was  passing,  will,  it  is  to  be  hoped, 
rapidly  disappear  with  the  growth  of  population,  the  diffusion 
of  intelligence,  and,  under  more  liberal  institutions,  with  the 
healing  operations  of  time. 

The  sheriff,  and  the  gentleman  placed  in  temporary  charge 
of  the  office,  were  urged  to  treat  the  deposed  postmaster  with 
particular  kindness  and  attention,  with  the  view  of  so  far  win- 
ning her  confidence  as  to  elicit  a  full  statement  of  the  truth. 
The  special  agent  entertained  also  the  higher  hope  that, 
feeling  she  was  not  altogether  an  outcast  in  the  world,  others 
sharing  a  common  humanity  stood  ready  to  stretch  out  to  her 
across  the  dark  abyss  a  hand  of  help  and  sympathy,  she 
might  be  drawn  back  to  the  better  life  whence  her  erring  feet 
had  strayed.  In  the  detection  of  crime,  the  collapse  which 
threatens  ruin,  overwhelming  and  irretrievable,  to  the  wrong- 
doer, may  be  the  means  of  reclaiming  him  to  virtue  and  use- 
fulness. 

Under  the  influence,  partly  of  shame  and  partly  of  the  fur- 
tive persuasions  of  the  man  who  had  wronged  her  so  deeply, 
she  maintained  for  several  weeks  an  attitude  of  silence  or 
denial.  Meanwhile  the  court  term  was  fast  approaching,  and 
the  late  clerk,  unable  longer  to  bear  the  suspense,  — 

"  Folded  his  tent  like  an  Arab,  and  silently  stole  away.** 

On  the  assembling  of  the  grand  jury,  the  facts  were  laid 
before  them,  and  they  found  a  true  bill  against  the  woman. 
This  step  was  taken  with  the  full  concurrence  of  the  United 
States  district  attorney,  not  with  the  view  of  bringing  her  to 
trial,  but  to  induce  a  confession.  During  the  interim,  the 
policy  of  kindness  had  been  pursued  assiduously  and  with 
success.  Moreover,  the  flight  of  her  confederate  removed 


IN    HIS    TOILS.  '  121 

the  terror  that  had  paralyzed  her  resolution,  and  held  her  in 
bondage  to  continual  fear.  She  began  to  see  that  the  path 
of  truth  was  the  easiest  to  tread,  and  that  those  who  were 
exhorting  her  to  candor  and  truthfulness  were  really  her  best 
friends. 

A  few  days  later  the  special  agent  was  not  at  all  surprised 
to  receive  a  telegram  saying  that  she  wished  to  meet  him  in 
Atlanta,  and  that  she  had  determined  to  make  a  complete 
disclosure  of  the  facts. 

At  the  appointed  time  she  appeared  promptly,  with  many 
tears  and  deep  humiliation  telling  the  story  of  her  com- 
pact with  the  fugitive,  and  of  the  crimes  and  miseries  which 
ensued.  During  the  period  that  her  late  husband  was  post- 
master, the  public  had  no  ground  for  complaint,  the  work 
of  the  office  having  been  performed  promptly  and  honestly. 
At  his  death  she  applied  for  the  appointment,  and  it  was  given 
to  her.  For  a  while  every  thing  moved  on  well,  but  in  an 
evil  moment  she  accepted  the  clerical  aid  of  the  man  whose 
personal  beauty  and  desperate  fortunes  seemed  to  fascinate 
her,  and  as  the  arch  Tempter  blasted  the  happiness  of  Eden, 
the  wily  scoundrel  destroyed  her  peace,  tyrannized  over  her 
actions,  and  having  committed  her  to  his  villanous  policy, 
continued  to  hold  her  in  subjection  by  force  of  superior  will. 
He  led  the  way  to  robbery  by  gradual  ascent,  beginning  with 
opening  letters  of  friendship  for  the  purpose  of  prying  into 
the  personal  and  domestic  secrets  of  the  neighborhood.  At 
this  period  he  was  particularly  attracted  to  the  correspondence 
of  absent  lovers,  there  being  one  or  two  spinsters  whose 
occasional  outbursts  of  adolescent  tenderness  threw  him  into 
convulsions  of  merriment.  By  constant  practice  he  soon 
acquired  great  dexterity  in  unsealing  letters,  and  took  no  little 
pride  in  the  accomplishment.  Facilis  dccensus  Averni. 
Jordan  may  be  a  hard  road  to  travel,  but  smooth  is  the  slide 
to  perdition.  It  is  but  a  step  from  stealing  the  secrets  of  oth- 
ers to  stealing  their  money.  He  soon  proposed  to  the  post- 
master a  regular  and  systematic  plan  of  robbery,  to  be 


122  A    DESPERADO    ROUTED. 

accompanied  by  an  equitable  division  of  the  profits.  He  was 
to  do  the  work,  and  the  two  were  to  share  the  plunder  equally. 
At  first  she  trembled  at  the  naked  proposition,  skillfully  as 
the  way  had  been  prepared  for  it,  but  so  completely  was  she 
enveloped  in  the  toils  of  the  tempter,  that,  after  a  brief  period 
of  feeble  hesitation,  with  closed  eyes  she  plunged  madly  into 
the  vortex. 

Disregarding  the  code  of  honor  supposed  to  prevail  among 
thieves,  while  robbing  the  public  he  defrauded  his  partner, 
pocketing  all  the  booty,  and  holding,  as  a  suspended  banker, 
the  assets  of  the  concern,  ready  to  receive  deposits,  but  not 
to  honor  checks.  On  a  single  occasion  he  disgorged  fifty 
dollars  to  meet  a  draft  from  the  department.  Out  of  the  hun- 
dreds stolen,  this  was  the  only  money  paid  over  to  her.  He 
took  great  pride  in  his  skill  in  the  art  of  humbug,  and,  had  it 
not  been  for  the  multiplicity  of  the  losses  and  the  bad  char- 
acter of  the  operator,  might  long  have  deceived  the  credulous 
by  his  jugglery.  A  single  instance  will  illustrate  his  style. 
A  farmer,  living  several  miles  in  the  country,  was  looking  for 
a  valuable  letter  from  Virginia,  and  made  one  or  two  inquiries 
at  the  office  in  regard  to  it.  The  clerk  had  a  spite  against 
the  gentleman,  and  as  he  allowed  personal  feelings  to  influ- 
ence him  considerably  in  the  selection  of  victims,  concluded 
that  a  fine  opportunity  was  now  presented,  both  for  replenish- 
ing his  exchequer  and  for  taking  a  few  dollars'  worth  of 
revenge.  The  expected  missive  at  length  arrived,  in  the 
shape  of  a  registered  letter,  which  was  at  once  dexterously 
slipped  out  of  sight  under  the  table  to  await  future  manip- 
ulation. At  night  it  was  opened,  rifled,  and  resealed.  On 
the  arrival  of  the  mail  the  following  day,  the  end  of  the 
package  envelope,  which  was  so  placed  as  to  appear  to  have 
been  emptied  out  of  the  bag,  was  cut  off  a  second  time,  and 
the  unfortunate  letter  ostentatiously  displayed  to  the  crowd 
around  the  window,  to  attract  attention  to  its  mutilated  ap- 
pearance. Thus  the  evidence  of  half  a  dozen  disinterested 
witnesses  was  extemporized  to  divert  suspicion  from  the 
actual  criminal. 


CRIMINAL    CURIOSITY. 


123 


The  daughter  had  not  been  let  into  the  secret  of  the  com- 
pact, and  the  confederates  had  striven  to  keep  the  thefts  from 
her  knowledge.  She  had  seen  the  clerk,  however,  open 
letters  from  motives  of  curiosity,  and  had  often  heard  the 
contents  discussed. 

The  grand  jury,  after  listening  to  the  statements  of  mother 
and  daughter,  corroborated  as  they  were  by  collateral  evi- 
dence, did  not  hesitate  to  indict  the  late  clerk. 


"  She  had  seen  the  clerk  open  letters,  and  had  often  heard  the  contents 

discussed." 

It  now  devolved  upon  the  officers  of  the  government  to 
discover  the  asylum  of  the  fugitive,  and  to  bring  him  back 
for  trial.  Broad  as  the  country  is,  it  is  not  big  enough  to 
hide  a  criminal  when  diligently  pursued.  Everywhere  the 
light  of  Heaven  streams  in  to  reveal  the  brand  upon  the  brow 
of  the  malefactor.  The  "damned  spot"  will  not  "out."  All 
the  perfume  in  Arabia  will  not  sweeten  the  tainted  hand. 


124  A    DESPERADO    ROUTED. 

Through  the  exertions  of  the  sheriff  of  the  county  the 
officers  of  the  government  soon  learned  that  friends  of  the 
absentee,  living  in  a  precinct  ten  or  twelve  miles  distant  from 
the  scene  of  the  robberies,  were  communicating  quite  frequently 
with  one  "John  Jones,"  of  Nashville,  Tennessee.  Jones  re- 
quired money  and  clothing,  which  were  duly  forwarded.  A 
great  many  good  people  have  had  correspondents  at  Nashville, 
Tennessee,  without  attracting  attention  or  arousing  suspicion 
thereby.  Not  so  in  this  instance.  Plain  farmers  tilling  the 
earth  amid  the  graves  of  their  sires,  and  seldom  venturing 
beyond  the  shadows  of  their  native  hills,  are  not  suddenly  so 
dra\vn  to  a  new  and  distant  friend  as  to  part  with  hard-earned 
substance  to  relieve  his  needs.  Besides,  running  back  for 
several  generations,  the  name  of  the  correspondent  did  not 
suggest  the  tie  of  consanguinity.  Unconnected  with  his  ben- 
efactors by  business  or  blood,  who  could  he  be  ?  The  clue 
pointed  unerringly  to  the  man  they  were  after. 

The  original  John  Jones,  as  every  one  knows,  is  a  gentle- 
man of  eminent  respectability,  proud  of  the  family  escutcheon, 
and  super-sensitive  in  regard  to  any  taint,  hpwrever  slight,  that 
might  befall  the  ancestral  cognomen.  He  would  never  forgive 
the  government  if  it  failed  to  apprehend  the  miscreant  who 
crowded  his  other  offences  by  filching  this  illustrious  name  to 
masquerade  in  before  the  world. 

The  United  States  chief  deputy-marshal  for  the  northern 
district  of  Georgia  sent  a  warrant  for  the  arrest  of  "Jones," 
with  a  full  description  of  his  appearance,  to  the  United  States 
marshal  at  Nashville,  requesting  immediate  action.  That  offi- 
cer telegraphed  back  that  a  person  answering  to  the  description 
had  been  in  Nashville,  but  had  just  left  for  Kansas  City.  The 
presumptions  were  that  he  was  "on  the  fly,"  but  would  remain 
long  enough  to  receive  letters  and  an  express  package  to  be 
forwarded  from  his  late  haunt.  Accordingly  the  same  partic- 
ulars were  telegraphed  to  the  United  States  marshal  at  Kansas 
City  with  a  similar  request.  The  despatch  reached  its  desti- 
nation a  few  minutes  in  advance  of  the  distinguished  stranger, 


A    GOOD    ACTOR. 


125 


who  in  less  than  half  an  hour  after  its  receipt  alighted  from  the 
train.  The  officer  addressed  him  cordially,  calling  him  by 
name.  "Why!  how  are  you,  old  fellow?  I  am  glad  to  see 
you,"  said  he ;  "  in  fact,  I  came  down  to  the  depot  on  purpose 
to  meet  you,  but  hardly  expected  you  on  this  run." 

"There  must  be  some  mistake  here,"  replied  the  dust-stained 
traveler,  with  a  look  of  ill-concealed  apprehension.  "I  am 
John  Jones,  of  Nashville,  Tennessee,  and  a  stranger  to  your 
acquaintance." 

"John  Jones,  of  Nashville,  Tennessee  !  How  long  since?" 
ejaculated  the  marshal,  with  a  slight  accent  of  derision. 

"Do  you  mean  to  insult  me,  sir?"  replied  the  fugitive,  with 
assumed  severity.  "  This  joke,  if  you  mean  it  for  a  joke, 
has  been  pushed  far  enough  already.  I  am  not  a  man  to  be 
trifled  with,  as  you  may  find  to  your  sorrow." 

"You  would  make  a  pretty  fair  actor,"  answered  the  imper- 
turbable officer.  "You  talk  very  well,  too  ;  but  I  haven't  time 
to  listen  to  any  more  of  that  sort  just  now.  I  know  all  about 
you,  and  what  you  have  done.  I  am  United  States  marshal, 
and  you  are  my  prisoner.  I  take  it  you  do  not  care  to  be  the 
hero  of  a  street  scene.  Give  up  like  a  gentleman,  and  you 
shall  be  treated  accordingly." 

For  a  brief  interval  the  captive  attempted  to  play  the  role 
of  injured  and  indignant  innocence ;  but,  finding  the  game 
useless,  acknowledged  that  he  was  beaten,  and  admitted  his 
identity.  So  accurate  was  the  description  that  the  marshal 
pronounced  it  equal  to  a  photograph.  That  night  the  fugitive 
started  homeward  with  an  iron  bracelet  on  his  wrist. 

On  various  pretexts  the  trial  was  postponed  from  term  to 
term  till  two  and  a  half  years  had  elapsed  from  the  finding  of 
the  indictment.  It  was  then  discovered  that  the  indictment 
was  defective,  but  it  was  too  late  to  go  before  another  grand 
jury  and  procure  a  substitute,  as  such  action  was  barred  by 
the  statute  of  limitations.  After  a  partial  introduction  of  the 
evidence,  the  prosecution  broke  down  on  purely  technical 
grounds,  having  no  relation  whatever  to  the  guilt  or  inno- 


126  A   DESPERADO    ROUTED. 

cence  of  the  accused.  Accordingly,  through  the  "  law's  de- 
lay," and  not  through  lack  of  proof,  the  prisoner  managed  to 
escape.  After  all,  the  real  punishment  does  not  depend  on 
the  verdict  of  a  jury  or  the  length  of  an  imprisonment.  Ret- 
ribution, inevitable,  far-reaching,  is  an  integral  part  of  every 
crime.  No  earthly  decree  or  failure  can  annul  God's  eternal 
law,  "As  ye  sow,  so  shall  ye  reap." 


'SCALON,  a  quiet  and 
orderly  village  of 
about  five  thousand 
inhabitants,  is  located 
on  one  of  the  many  rail- 
roads that  radiate  from 
Chicago.  It  was  original- 
ly laid  out  as  a  university 
town  by  prominent  mem- 
bers of  a  powerful  religious 
denomination  ;  and  by  spe- 
cial charter  the  sale  of  liq- 
uor within  the  corporate 
limits  was  for  ever  prohib- 
ited. In  addition  to  the  uni- 
versity, other  institutions  of 
learning  have  since  been 
erected  under  the  patron- 
age of  the  wealthy;  and 
the  citizens  take  great  pride 
in  the  education,  culture, 
and  morality  which  gener- 
ally prevail.  From  time  to  time  reports  of  lost  letters,  mailed 
to  and  from  Ascalon,  reached  Mr.  U.  R.  Hawley,  special 
agent  at  Chicago ;  but  these  were  hardly  frequent  enough  to 
discredit  the  management  of  the  post-office,  as  a  certain  per- 
centage of  mistakes  and  miscarriages  is  proved  by  long  expe- 


The  Teller  declines  to  accept  the  bill. 


128 


SELF-CONVICTED. 


rience  to  occur  through  the  carelessness  of  writers.  Thus 
matters  ran  on  till  at  length  a  decisive  case  fixed  the  respon- 
sibility at  that  place.  A  letter  directed  to  a  contractor  tempo- 
rarily employed  in  Ascalon  was  handed  at  the  train  in  Chicago 
to  a  postal  clerk  whose  route  supplied  the  town.  It  did  not 
reach  its  destination.  The  matter  was  reported  for  investi- 
gation. 

If  not  mislaid,  the  letter  must  have  been  stolen  either  by  the 
postal  clerk  or  in  the  Ascalon  office ;  and  for  reasons  which 
seemed  sufficient,  the  special  agent  concluded  that  the  depre- 
dation was  not  committed  on  the  railroad. 

Virgil  Swayne,  a  thin, 
sickly  man,  about  thirty- 
two  years  old,  of  nervous 
and  excitable  temperament, 
was  postmaster.  Anxious 
to  please  the  public  and  to 
be  reputed  efficient,  he  was 
thrown  into  a  fever  of  per- 
turbation by  complaints  or 
adverse  criticism. 

At  the  time  referred  to, 
Swayne  was  assisted  by  two 
clerks  :  one  a  young  lady 
of  irreproachable  charac- 
ter, who  for  quite  a  period 
had  been  detained  at  home 
by  severe  illness,  and  the 
other  a  young  man  of  twen- 
ty-six, known  as  Rodney 
Powell. 

Powell  was  an  orphan,  and  had  lived  in  Ascalon  from  boy- 
hood, having  been  reared  in  the  family  of  an  estimable  gen- 
tleman where  he  was  surrounded  by  the  best  of  influences. 
So  far  as  externals  went,  he  was  such  a  youth  as  decorous 
and  devout  maidens  like  to  hold  up  to  boisterous,  irrepres- 


Virgil  Swayne. 


A   PIOUS    PILFERER. 


I29 


sible,  mischievous  nephews  as  a  model  for  imitation.  A 
member  of  the  church  and  teacher  in  the  Sunday  school,  he 
had  no  evil  associations  or  questionable  habits.  He  did  not 
drink  under  any  circumstances  of  temptation,  or  use  tobacco. 
Industrious  and  economical,  he  saved  each  month  something 
from  his  salary,  which  was  gradually  transformed  into  town- 
lots  in  the  suburbs,  where  land  could  be  bought  at  low  figures 
and  held  with  confidence  for  a  rise.  He  kept  a  bank  account, 
carefully  depositing  his  monthly  gains  till  the  aggregate  be- 
came sufficiently  large  to  be  withdrawn  for  investment. 

In  physique  Powell  was  tall,  slender,  and  cadaverous,  a 
candidate  evidently  for  early  translation  to  a  better  sphere. 
About  a  year  prior  to  the  occurrences  to  be  narrated,  he  had 
married  a  beautiful  and  interesting  girl  from  Wisconsin,  and 
after  twelve  months  of  happiness  she  had  returned  home  to 
visit  her  parents.  The  prospects  of  the  young  couple  looked 
as  bright  as  a  May  morning. 

One  vice,  however,  tainted  the  life  of  Rodney  Powell,  and 
slowly  but  surely  the  poison  permeated  his  moral  nature.  It 
was  avarice,  hidden  from  the  public,  and  perhaps  from  the 
victim,  under  the  name  of  economy. 

When  the  office  at  Ascalon  came  under  surveillance,  in 
view  of  the  excellent  reputation  of  both  the  postmaster  and 
the  assistant,  suspicion  might  fall  upon  one  as  readily  as  upon 
the  other ;  but  quiet  inquiry  developed  the  fact  that  the  cur- 
rent savings  of  Powell  were  larger  than  the  severest  economy 
could  explain  on  the  theory  that  the  increasing  accumulations 
were  honestly  derived. 

A  letter  was  prepared  for  the  purpose  of  testing  the  hon- 
esty of  the  assistant.  It  contained  a  counterfeit  twenty-dollar 
bill  and  two  genuine  one-dollar  bills,  so  marked  that  all 
could  be  readily  identified.  The  special  agent  took  due 
care  to  see  it  placed  in  the  package  for  Ascalon.  The  letter 
was  so  directed  that  while  it  would  offer  no  temptation  to  an 
honest  man,  it  would  be  very  likely  to  stimulate  into  activity 
the  propensities  of  a  thief. 
9 


130 


SELF-CONVICTED. 


The  next  day  the  officer,  avoiding  the  post-office  himself, 
sent  a  shrewd,  experienced,  clear-headed  man  to  inquire  for 
the  missive.  Waiting  till  Powell  was  left  alone  in  the  tem- 
porary absence  of  the  postmaster,  the  messenger  walked  up 
to  the  delivery-window,  and  asked  if  there  was  anything  for 
"Abraham  Klingman." 

"  No,"  stammered  the  assist- 
ant, running  through  a  pack- 
age with  tremulous  hands, 
and  turning  as  white  as  a 
sheet,  "there  is  nothing  for 
you." 

"Look  again,"  urged  the 
lynx-eyed  messenger.  "  I 
have  notice  that  a  very  im- 
portant communication  was 
mailed  to  me  yesterday 
from  Chicago.  It  must  be 
here." 

Once  more  the  clerk, 
half  unconsciously,  looked 
through  the  bundle,  and  re- 
peated the  denial. 

As  the  stranger  turned 
away  with  a  look  of  as- 
sumed disappointment,  the 
young  man  remarked,  in 
explanation  of  the  mystery,  "There  is  another  Ascalon  clear 
out  west.  Perhaps  your  letter  has  gone  there  through  mis- 
take." 

Unwittingly  the  moth  had  fluttered  into  the  flame ;  the  sug- 
gestion, under  the  circumstances,  being  equivalent,  morally,  to 
a  confession.  When  the  interview  was  reported  to  the  special 
agent,  he  knew  that  Powell  was  a  thief.  Having,  however, 
been  detained  the  day  before  by  an  unexpected  summons  to 
attend  court,  he  had  been  prevented  from  following  the  letter 


again,'  urged  the  lynx-eyed 
messenger." 


SWAYNE    PUT    UPON    THE    WATCH.  13! 

as  closely  as  he  otherwise  would,  and  hence  decided,  on  the 
ground  of  prudence,  to  try  another  test.  Perhaps  the  con- 
tents were  already  spent.  If  so,  the  legal  evidence  was  gone, 
and  against  the  unsullied  reputation  of  the  assistant  nothing 
short  of  the  most  conclusive  proof  would  avail. 

One  great  point  had  been  gained.  The  character  of  Rod- 
ney Powell,  heretofore  concealed  under  professions  of  piety, 
was  now  thoroughly  understood  by  one  man  at  least. 
In  the  absence  of  all  small  vices,  he  was  afflicted  with  an 
inordinate  love  of  money,  and  lacked  the  strength  of  will  to 
resist  temptation.  The  wretch  who  steals  once,  will  steal 
again.  It  seemed  better  to  sacrifice  the  venture  already  lost, 
and  postpone  the  crisis  a  few  days,  rather  than  to  hazard 
the  success  of  the  case  on  an  arrest  that  might  prove  pre- 
mature. 

The  agent  returned  to  Chicago,  and  delayed  further  pro- 
ceedings for  a  week  or  two,  to  permit  the  clerk  to  recover  from 
his  late  fright.  In  the  second  move  on  the  works  of  the 
young  man,  he  decided  to  take  the  postmaster  into  his  con- 
fidence, as  his  co-operation  was  important,  though  apprehen- 
sive that  his  excitability  would  expose  the  plan  of  operations 
to  the  thief.  Swayne  was  instructed  to  show  no  signs  of  un- 
easiness, and  not  to  notice  the  movements  of  the  assistant 
while  both  were  employed  in  the  office  together,  but  to  keep 
a  vigilant  lookout  for  certain  letters  when  left  alone,  and,  if 
•either  one  should  be  missed,  to  telegraph  the  fact  immediately 
to  the  special  agent  in  Chicago.  Several  decoys  were  pre- 
pared with  the  full  knowledge  of  the  postmaster,  and  in  due 
course  of  mail  thrown  into  Ascalon.  Some  of  them  received 
honorable  treatment.  One,  which  should  have  been  returned 
to  the  railway  post-office  as  missent,  was  carefully  laid  aside 
in  an  unused  pigeon-hole.  The  appearance  of  the  missive 
suggested  a  plethora  of  greenbacks,  yet  the  wary  thief  evi- 
dently surmised  that  it  might  possibly  contain  a  charge  of 
postal  dynamite.  At  all  events,  it  was  handled  very  daintily. 

Diligent   but   quiet   search  was   meanwhile   made   for   the 


132  SELF-CONVICTED. 

stolen  money.  The  twenty-dollar  counterfeit  note  was  so 
well  executed  that  none  but  experts  would  be  likely  to  dis- 
trust its  genuineness.  It  was  soon  ascertained  that  the  day 
after  the  arrival  of  the  first  decoy,  Powell  made  a  deposit 
in  bank.  The  teller  remembered  that  among  the  bills  was 
one  of  twenty  dollars  on  the  Oneida  County  Bank,  which 
he  declined  to  pass  to  the  credit  of  the  customer  without 
further  examination.  At  his  suggestion,  Powell  put  a  private 
mark  on  the  bill,  and  the  teller  subsequently  submitted  it  in 
person  to  the  cashier  of  the  Merchants  National  Bank  of 
Chicago,  who  pronounced  it  a  counterfeit.  It  was  afterwards 
returned  to  Powell.  Though  the  circumstances  did  not 
absolutely  identify  this  as  one  of  the  stolen  notes,  there  could 
be  no  reasonable  doubt  of  the  fact.  „ 

Unaccustomed  to  watch  rogues,  Swayne  soon  found  the 
tortures  of  the  situation  unbearable.  The  anxiety  which  he 
tried  to  conceal  became  only  the  more  conspicuous  from  the 
effort.  Postmaster  and  clerk  furtively  shot  strange  glances 
at  each  other,  while  a  barrier  of  coolness  and  mistrust  in- 
sensibly arose  to  separate  the  two  friends.  Without  a  word 
spoken  to  justify  or  explain  the  changed  attitude  of  affairs, 
both  manifested  a  conscious  expectation  that  a  catastrophe  of 
some  kind  was  impending.  Nerves  weak  at  best  gave  way 
under  the  strain.  Worn  out  by  solicitude  and  sleeplessness, 
Swayne  left  one  afternoon  precipitately  for  Chicago  to  con- 
sult the  special  agent,  taking  the  test  letter  along,  and  ex- 
pressing the  conviction  that  Powell  was  afraid  to  steal  it. 
The  conclusion,  so  confidently  expressed,  proved  to  be  entirely 
erroneous. 

After  the  departure  of  the  postmaster,  the  clerk  went  to  the 
case  for  the  purpose  of  confiscating  the  estray,  but  it  had 
disappeared.  Conscience  and  fear  at  once  sounded  an 
alarm.  Recollections  of  the  unexpected  inquiries  from 
"Abraham  Klingman,"  reinforced  by  numerous  evidences 
of  distrust  on  the  part  of  the  postmaster,  formerly  so  artless 
and  confiding,  led  the  thief  to  surmise  that  his  criminality 


NO    SECURITY    IN    FLIGHT.  133 

was  suspected  if  not  discovered.  A  new  resolution  was  soon 
formed  with  the  view  of  escaping,  if  possible,  from  the  im- 
pending crash.  Without  disclosing  his  purpose  to  anyone, 
Powell  proceeded  to  draw  his  balance  from  bank,  and  left  by 
the  midnight  train.  On  arriving  at  the  office  the  next  morn- 
ing, Swayne  found  the  doors  closed,  and  on  further  inquiry 
learned  that  the  exemplary  youth  whose  business  it  was  to 
put  the  place  in  order,  had  incontinently  fled. 

The  special  agent  was  at  once  informed  of  the  latest  de- 
velopments, when  he  proceeded  to  modify  the  plan  of  cam- 
paign to  meet  the  somewhat  unexpected  emergency. 

That  Powell  still  retained  the  counterfeit  in  his  possession 
or  under  his  control  was  exceedingly  probable,  as  he  would 
be  afraid  to  pass  a  bill  of  such  size,  and  hence  so  easily 
followed,  in  a  community  where  its  true  character  had 
been  pronounced  at  the  bank,  and  as  he  would  not  be 
likely  to  destroy  an  imitation  that  so  closely  resembled  the 
genuine. 

Conjecturing  that  the  fugitive  would  rejoin  his  wife, 
Mr.  Hawley  communicated  with  Mr.  Horatio  Belden,  post- 
master at  Wartrace,  the  residence  of  her  parents,  inquiring 
whether  Powell  was  there.  An  affirmative  reply  was  re- 
turned. No  time  was  to  be  lost.  Since  the  thief  had 
permanently  severed  his  connections  with  the  Ascalon  office, 
the  only  remaining  chance  of  detection  was  through  the  re- 
covery of  the  counterfeit,  and  bank-bills  are  proverbially 
slippery. 

Hurriedly  taking  the  train,  Mr.  Hawley  reached  Wartrace 
about  the  middle  of  the  afternoon.  After  looking  over  the 
field,  he  decided  to  charge  Powell  with  being  a  counterfeiter, 
and,  in  carrying,  out  the  scheme,  to  assume  the  character  of 
an  agent  of  the  treasury  department.  It  was  now  late  in  the 
day,  and  the  execution  of  his  plan  was  postponed  till  the  next 
morning. 

After  breakfast,  the  sheriff  of  the  county,  whose  aid  had 
been  secured,  repaired,  to  the  house  where  Powell  stopped, 


SELF-CONVICTED. 


and  took  him  to  the  hotel.  On  the  way  he  was  informed 
that  an  officer  of  the  treasury  wished  to  see  him.  Entirely 
thrown  off  the  scent,  he  went  without  fear  or  hesitation, — 
rather  curious  to  learn  what  use  a  representative  of  that  branch 
of  the  government  could  have  for  him. 

The  two  met  for  the  first  time  in  the  private  room  of  Mr. 
Hawley,  the  late  clerk  quiet  and  expectant,  little  dreaming  of 
the  serious  import  of  the  interview,  and  the  officer  of  the  law 


"  You  are  a  dealer  in  counterfeit  money.** 

determined,  if  possible,  to  compel  the  thief  to  disclose  the 
evidence  which  would  convict  him  in  a  court  of  justice. 
As  the  young  man  entered,  the  occupant  of  the  room 
brusquely  accosted  him,  "You  are  Rodney  Powell,  I  be- 
lieve." 

"I  am,  sir." 

"You  are  a  dealer  in  counterfeit  money." 


DEALING    IN    COUNTERFEIT    MONEY.  135 

"  No,  sir,  I  am  not." 

Both  were  standing,  the  officer  harsh  and  stern,  the  crimi- 
nal pale,  faltering,  and  cadaverous.  So  great  was  his  sur- 
prise at  the  suddenness  of  the  onset,  that  he  could  hardly 
articulate  from  nervousness  and  timidity. 

Agent.  "You  have  been  a  clerk  in  a  post-office,  and  have 
been  fool  enough  to  be  duped  by  the  circulars  advertising 
counterfeit  money." 

Clerk.      "No,  sir.     I  never  saw  any  such  circulars." 

Agent.     "  Where  did  you  get  your  counterfeit  money?  " 

Clerk.  "  I  never  had  a  counterfeit  bill  in  my  life.  I  will 
show  you  my  pocket-book,"  taking  it  out. 

With  one  sharp  look  at  the  contents  the  agent  waived  it 
away  contemptuously,  saying,  "I  don't  care  anything  about 
your  pocket-book.  I  don't  suppose  you  carry  your  stock 
there.  I  want  to  know  where  your  counterfeit  money  comes 
from." 

Clerk.      "  I  never  had  any." 

Agent.  "Didn't  you  try  to  pass  a  counterfeit  twenty  at 
Hamilton's  Bank." 

Clerk.      "  Well,  that  is  the  only  one  I  ever  had." 

Agent.  "That  one  is  enough  to  send  you  to  the  peni- 
tentiary. Where  did  you  afterwards  pass  the  bill?  " 

Clerk.      "  I  have  not  passed  it." 

Agent.     "  You  have  not  destroyed  it?  " 

Clerk.      "No,  sir." 

Agent.     "What  have  you  done  with  it,  then?" 

Clerk.      "I  gave  it  to  my  wife." 

Agent.  "  Did  you  give  her  any  other  money  at  the  same 
time?" 

Clerk.      "Yes,  sir." 

Agent.     "  Was  it  genuine  or  counterfeit?  " 

Clerk.      "  It  was  genuine." 

Agent.  "Did  you  tell  her  that  this  twenty  was  counter- 
feit?" 

Clerk.      "No,  sir." 


136  SELF-CONVICTED. 

Agent.  "You  cowardly  scoundrel,  you  gave  it  to  her,  an 
innocent  woman,  to  put  in  circulation  because  you  lacked  the 
courage.  Didn't  you  expect  that  she  would  pass  it?  " 

Clerk.     "  I  don't  know  that  I  did." 

Agent.  ff  On  that  point,  then,  it  seems  that  I  am  better 
informed  than  you,  for  I  do.  You  may  as  well  prepare  at 
once  to  go  with  me  to  the  capital  of  the  state,  to  stand  trial 
for  knowingly  passing  counterfeit  money  in  violation  of  law." 

Clerk.  "  I  guess  my  wife  still  has  the  bill,  and  that  I  can 
get  it  for  you." 

Agent.  "  I  do  not  believe  any  such  thing.  You  gave  it  to 
her,  intending  that  she  should  pay  it  to  some  unsuspecting 
merchant  or  creditor,  and  she  has  innocently  done  so.  Still, 
I  should  like  to  know  into  whose  hands  it  went,  for  it  is  too 
dangerous  a  counterfeit  to  be  left  in  circulation.  If  found,  you 
will  be  compelled  to  redeem  the  bill.  Yet  one  might  as  well 
hunt  for  a  needle  in  a  hay-stack  as  look  for  it." 

Clerk.  "  I  am  confident  the  bill  can  be  found.  Let  me  go 
home,  and  I  think  I  can  soon  return  with  it." 

Agent.  "  You  can  not  go  alone,  as  you  are  now  in  custody, 
but  I  will  accompany  you  to  give  you  every  chance  possible." 

The  unexpected  accusation,  vigorously  followed  up  by  the 
special  agent,  had  thoroughly  cowed  the  thief,  who  was  weak 
and  timid  at  best.  Believing  that  the  production  of  the  coun- 
terfeit would  satisfy  the  officer  and  end  the  investigation,  he 
was  exceedingly  anxious  to  recover  the  note.  The  two 
started  for  Powell's  house,  about  a  mile  off.  As  they  passed 
the  post-office,  the  special  agent  made  an  excuse  to  stop,  and 
desiring  the  presence  of  a  witness,  invited  Mr.  Belden,  the 
postmaster,  to  accompany  them.  He  acceded  readily  to  the 
request,  having  previously  been  informed  that  his  services 
might  be  needed  ;  and  the  three  proceeded  on  together. 

Mrs.  Powell,  a  pure  and  lovable  woman,  eminently  wor- 
thy of  a  better  husband  and  happier  fate,  was  up-stairs,  con- 
fined to  her  room  by  sickness.  So  long  as  the  guilty  man 
remained  in  ignorance  of  the  ulterior  object  of  the  mission, 


CONTEMPTIBLE    MEANNESS.  137 

there  was  no  danger  that  he  would  attempt  either  to  escape 
or  to  destroy  the  bill.  Indeed,  so  eager  was  he  to  produce 
the  counterfeit,  that  his  thoughts  and  energies  were  swallowed 
up  in  the  effort.  Powell  soon  returned  from  the  sick-chamber 
paler  even  than  before,  and  remarked,  dejectedly,  "  She  has 
passed  the  bill." 

Agent.  "  I  knew  it.  You  gave  it  to  her  for  that  very  pur- 
pose. Enough  of  this  nonsense.  Come  with  me ;  we  have 
wasted  too  much  time  already.  Whom  did  she  pay  it  to?" 

Clerk.     "To  Doctor  Sevier." 

Agent.     "What  for?" 

Clerk.     "Medical  attendance." 

Agent.     "What  did  the  medical  bill  amount  to?" 

Clerk.     "Ten  dollars." 

Agent.     "Did  the  doctor  give  back  the  change?" 

Clerk.     "Yes,  sir." 

Agent.  "What  did  I  tell  you  at  the  outset?  Yet  you  had 
the  effrontery  to  stand  up  and  say  that  you  had  not  passed 
counterfeit  money  !  It  was  incomparably  worse  to  commit 
the  crime  through  the  agency  of  a  poor  sick  woman,  who 
trusted  implicitly  in  your  integrity,  than  to  have  gone  forth 
boldly  among  men  to  do  the  same  thing  in  person.  The 
indirection  adds  a  hundred-fold  to  the  cowardice  and  baseness 
of  the  act." 

Clerk.  "Allow  me  the  chance,  and  I  will  hunt  up  and 
redeem  the  bill." 

Agent.  "  Nonsense.  It  may  have  gone  through  a  dozen 
hands  before  now." 

Clerk  (imploringly).  "Still,  you  will  permit  me  to  try, 
will  you  not  ?  " 

Agent.  "Yes,  you  can  try.  That  counterfeit  must  not  be 
left  in  circulation." 

Powell  now  fully  believed  that  the  only  escape  from  the 
penitentiary  was  through  the  discovery  and  redemption  of  the 
missing  note.  Perhaps  even  that  would  prove  insufficient. 
His  eagerness  to  see  Doctor  Sevier  was  intense,  the  officer 


138  SELF-CONVICTED. 

meanwhile  saying  but  little,  and  that  little  of  a  discouraging 
tendency. 

On  their  way  back,  the  party  called  at  the  office  of  Doctor 
Sevier,  but  he  happened  to  be  absent  in  the  country  on  pro- 
fessional business.  Mr.  Belden  suggested  that  they  should 
wait  at  the  post-office  ;  and  thither  they  accordingly  repaired, 
having  left  a  request  for  the  doctor  to  follow  immediately  on 
his  return. 

In  the  course  of  an  hour,  or  an  hour  and  a  half,  the  doctor 
entered  the  rear  room  at  the  post-office.  A  man  of  heavy 
frame  and  clear  conscience,  a  physician  of  skill  and  of  ex- 
tensive practice,  he  wore  the  look  of  a  solid  country  gentle- 
man, at  peace  with  himself  and  with  all  the  world.  The  con- 
versation between  the  several  persons  grouped  around  the  table 
was  brief  and  pointed.  On  one  side  stood  Powell,  pale  and 
anxious;  then  Belden,  a  little  nervous,  in  view  of  the  ap- 
proaching crisis ;  next  the  doctor,  somewhat  surprised  at  the 
unusual  summons,  but  perfectly  calm ;  and  last,  the  special 
agent,  steadily  pursuing  the  plan  of  operations  which  was 
now  drawing  to  a  successful  close. 

The  officer  broke  the  silence  by  inquiring,  "  Doctor  Sevier, 
did  Mrs.  Powell  pay  you  a  twenty-dollar  note  a  short  time 
ago?" 

Doctor.     "  I  believe  she  did." 

Agent.  "Your  bill  for  services  was  ten  dollars,  if  I  am 
correctly  informed  ?  " 

Doctor.     "Yes." 

Agent.     "  You  returned  the  change  to  Mrs.  Powell." 

Doctor.     "Yes." 

Agent.     "That  twenty  is  a  counterfeit." 

Doctor.     "  Is  it  possible  ?  " 

Agent.  "Yes,  doctor,  it  is  a  fact.  I  am  particularly 
anxious  to  secure  that  bill.  Have  you  got  it  still?" 

Doctor.  "  I  don't  know.  I  have  lately  been  saving  money 
to  pay  taxes  with,  and  may  have  it  yet." 

Doctor  Sevier  drew  forth  a  well-stuffed  pocket-book,  sug- 


POWELL   A   PRISONER. 


139 


gestive  of  a  large  practice  and  good  customers.  Taking 
therefrom  a  roll  of  bills,  he  spread  them  out  deliberately  on 
the  table,  and  began  to  search  for  the  counterfeit.  All  eyes 
were  riveted  on  the  package.  As  the  portion  below  the  fold 
grew  thinner,  the  countenance  of  the  young  man  fell.  What 
if  the  doctor  had  parted  with  it?  The  frowning  walls  of 
a  prison  again  loomed  ominously  on  his  mental  horizon. 
As  the  doctor  turned  further,  he  came  to  a  twenty.  The 


'*  I  will  tell  you  where  you  got  it.    You  stole  it  from  a  letter." 

special  agent  quickly  placed  the  tip  of  his  index  finger  on  the 
bill.  He  was  an  old  acquaintance,  and  perfectly  familiar 
with  its  features.  With  slight  emphasis,  he  remarked, 
"There  is  the  bill." 

The  doctor  drew  it  forth  and  handed  it  to  Powell,  who 
also  at  once  recognized  the  lineaments  that  he  had  had 
occasion  to  study  so  closely.  With  an  air  of  great  relief, 
he  exclaimed,  "Yes,  this  is  the  identical  bill." 


I4O  SELF-CONVICTED. 

The  turn  of  the  special  agent  had  now  come.  Taking  the 
fateful  piece  of  paper,  and  pointing  to  some  writing  on  one 
corner,  he  inquired,  "Is  not  that  the  mark  made  by  you  in 
Hamilton's  Bank?" 

"Yes,  sir,"  replied  Powell. 

"And  there  is  my  mark,"  thundered  the  special  agent, 
pointing  to  three  initials,  in  fine  characters,  on  the  reverse 
side.  "Now,  let  me  ask,  where  did  you  get  that  bill?" 

Clerk.     "  At  Ascalon." 

Agent.     "  From  whom  ?  " 

Clerk.     "  I  do  not  remember." 

Agent.  "  Do  you  receive  so  many  twenty-dollar  bills  that 
you  can  not  remember  from  whom  you  took  this  one  ?  " 

Clerk.     "  I  don't  remember." 

Agent.     "  Did  Virgil  S wayne  give  it  to  you  ?  " 

Clerk.     "No,  sir." 

Agent.  "  I  will  tell  you  where  you  got  it.  You  stole  it 
from  a  letter  addressed  to  Abraham  Klingman.  What  did 
you  do  with  the  two  one-dollar  notes  enclosed  in  the  same 
letter?" 

Clerk.     "  I  spent  them  in  Ascalon." 

And  thus  the  poor  wretch,  after  many  falsehoods,  seeing 
that  further  resistance  was  useless,  threw  up  the  sponge,  and 
admitted  his  guilt.  With  the  last  words,  he  sank  down  on 
the  lounge,  a  self-convicted  thief. 

On  the  next  train,  the  avaricious  clerk  left  for  Chicago,  a 
prisoner.  When  arraigned  at  the  bar  of  justice,  he  pleaded 
guilty,  and  was  duly  sentenced  to  the  penitentiary. 


PON  the  outskirts  of  Dover, 
an  unpretentious  village  in 
the  State  of  Texas,  there 
stood,  in  the  year  1870,  an 
old  and  rather  dilapidated 
frame  house,  in  the  shape 
of  an  L,  the  front  facing 
the  north,  and  located  about 
fifty  yards  from  the  high- 
way. It  consisted  of  a 
single  story,  and  contained 
three  small  rooms,  all,  of 
course,  on  the  first  floor. 
This  was  the  abode  of  the 
widow  Nathan  and  her  three 
daughters. 

The  family  emigrated  to 
Dover  about  the  year  1850. 
The  husband  and  father  was 
duly  installed  as  the  village 
blacksmith,  and  though  work  poured  into  his  shop  in  abun- 
dance, to  comfort  and  peace  he  was  a  stranger.  Poor  man  ! 
He  knew  how  to  soften  and  bend  iron,  but  could  make  no 
impression,  either  by  remonstrance  or  kindness,  upon  the  hard 
and  ferocious  spirit  of  his  wife.  Driven  to  despair  by  the 


The  Home  of  the  Nathans. 


142  A   MIDNIGHT   ADVENTURE. 

venom  of  her  manner  and  tongue,  he  sought  oblivion  in  drink, 
and  was  at  length  turned  out  of  doors  to  die  forsaken  and 
broken-hearted. 

The  widow  was  left  with  five  children,  — two  sons  and  three 
daughters.  The  elder  boy  became  a  teamster  in  the  federal 
army,  and  died  near  the  close  of  the  war.  The  younger  mur- 
dered a  neighbor  for  speaking  disparagingly  of  his  sister,  and, 
to  avoid  the  halter  of  Judge  Lynch,  vanished  in  the  night. 
For  many  years  the  family  had  a  hard  struggle  to  exist ;  but 
neither  privations  nor  sufferings  subdued  the  obdurate  heart 
of  Mrs.  Nathan.  The  household  led  a  secluded,  isolated 
life,  for  the  community  regarded  them  with  suspicion  and 
dread. 

As  might  be  inferred,  Mrs.  Nathan  wasted  little  sympathy 
on  neighbors  who  treated  her  with  so  much  coldness  and  con- 
tempt. She  exulted  in  the  final  triumph  of  the  Union  arms, 
for  defeat  brought  humiliation  to  those  who  had  trampled  on 
her  pride. 

In  due  time  a  detachment  of  federal  troops  was  sent  to  Dover, 
to  preserve  the  peace  and  superintend  the  affairs  of  the  freed- 
men.  The  lieutenant  in  command  soon  made  the  acquaint- 
ance of  the  Nathans,  becoming  interested  in  their  welfare  on 
account  of  their  professed  loyalty  to  the  government.  While 
he  was  stationed  here  the  postmaster  resigned,  and  through 
the  influence  of  the  lieutenant,  Miss  Eleanore,  the  eldest  of  the 
Nathan  sisters,  was  appointed  to  fill  the  place. 

A  most  extraordinary  change  was  soon  visible  in  the  condi- 
tion of  the  family.  Abundance  succeeded  want,  the  tokens 
of  outward  prosperity  multiplying  as  the  months  rolled  swiftly 
by.  Old  debts  were  paid,  homespun  dresses  discarded  for 
silks,  and  the  varied  paraphernalia  of  modern  luxury  rapidly 
added  to  the  hitherto  scant  wardrobes  of  the  ladies.  People, 
seeing  the  sudden  transformation,  wondered  how  an  annual 
salary  of  four  hundred  dollars  could  be  made  to  go  so  far. 
Ere  long,  evil  whisperings  were  heard.  Many  did  not  hesitate 
to  say  that  there  was  something  wrong  in  the  post-office,  yet 


UNWARRANTABLE  EXTRAVAGANCE. 

few  of  the  good  citizens  of  Dover  had  reason  to  complain,  for, 
if  light  fingers  were  busy  with  the  mails,  letters  belonging  to 
that  immediate  locality  were  rarely  disturbed.  The  counties 
beyond,  whose  correspondence  passed  through  Dover,  were 
not  so  fortunate ;  but  the  sufferers  seldom  reported  their  trou- 
bles to  the  department,  from  an  erroneous  belief  that  no  atten- 
tion would  be  paid  to  the  matter.  Thus  affairs  went  on  for 
two  years  and  a  half,  till  August,  1870 ;  the  current  expenses 
of  the  Nathans  far  exceeding  the  legitimate  income  from  the 
office.  Meanwhile  occasional  efforts  were  made  to  secure  the 
removal  of  Miss  Eleanore,  but  the  lieutenant  was  always  ap- 
pealed to,  and,  wherever  he  was,  uniformly  responded  with  a 
strong  indorsement  of  the  postmaster.  She  also  wrote  frequent 
letters  of  appeal  to  the  appointing  power,  and,  with  the  aid  of 
her  military  friend,  managed  to  retain  the  place  in  defiance  of 
public  protests. 

As  the  summer  of  1870  advanced,  the  pecuniary  wants  of 
the  Nathans  outgrew  the  ordinary  sources  of  supply.  Having 
long  levied  toll  upon  correspondence  with  impunity,  the  fami- 
ly had  learned  to  look  upon  valuable  letters  passing  through 
the  office  as  a  part  of  its  perquisites ;  but  ordinary  letters  now 
ceased  to  yield  sufficient  revenue  to  keep  them  afloat. 

In  August,  a  registered  package  containing  over  seven 
hundred  dollars  in  money-order  funds,  mailed  at  Daleville, 
Texas,  to  St.  Louis,  Missouri,  was  rifled  on  the  way.  The 
case  was  referred  by  the  department  to  Colonel  Frederick  W. 
Schaurte,  special  agent  at  St.  Louis,  for  investigation,  who, 
in  October,  passed  over  the  entire  route,  traveling  nine  days 
by  stage  to  reach  his  destination.  With  the  aid  of  other  data 
in  his  possession,  Colonel  Schaurte  became  convinced  that  the 
robbery  was  perpetrated  at  Dover,  the  focal  point  toward 
which  a  mass  of  evidence  pointed.  In  that  neighborhood  he 
assumed  the  character  of  an  officer  from  Missouri,  in  pursuit 
of  a  thief  who  was  supposed  to  have  fled  to  Texas  with  a 
large  amount  of  money,  a  description  of  which  he  had.  This 
gave  him  an  excuse  for  examining  the  currency  in  the  stores 


144  A   MIDNIGHT    ADVENTURE. 

and  other  places  of  business,  but  not  one  of  the  missing  bills 
could  he  find. 

Between  the  time  of  the  robbery  and  of  the  arrival  of  the 
special  agent,  Miss  Eleanore  had  been  removed  from  office, 
and  the  new  appointee  had  taken  possession.  During  the 
period  of  her  incumbency  the  entire  family  had  free  access  to 
the  mails,  and  either  one  might  have  committed  the  depreda- 
tions, though  the  hardened  character  of  the  mother  afforded 
sufficient  ground  for  the  belief  that  she  instigated  the  crimes, 
and  took  the  lead  in  their  execution.  However,  as  they  no 
longer  enjoyed  the  privilege  of  manipulating  the  letters  of 
other  people,  the  ordinary  methods  employed  by  special  agents 
could  not  be  followed.  Accordingly  the  officer  seemed  to  be 
driven  to  the  alternative  of  either  finding  a  portion  of  the 
stolen  money  and  tracing  it  back  to  the  thief,  or  of  securing  a 
quasi  reinstatement  of  the  late  postmaster,  so  that  an  oppor- 
tunity might  be  given  to  apply  the  usual  tests  to  determine  the 
question  of  honesty.  The  hunt  for  the  lost  bills,  though 
thorough,  proved  unavailing,  the  notes,  if  paid  out,  having 
disappeared  from  the  circulation  of  the  neighborhood.  With 
great  reluctance,  in  view  of  the  unpopularity  of  the  step,  the 
special  agent  arranged  with  the  new  appointee  to  employ  the 
suspected  parties  temporarily  as  clerks,  and  to  have  the  con- 
tents of  certain  letters  examined  after  passing  from  their  cus- 
tody. Having  laid  out  the  plan  of  campaign,  and  given  ex- 
plicit instructions  to  the  actual  postmaster  who  was  charged 
with  its  execution,  he  left  the  state,  hoping  soon  to  be  informed 
of  the  complete  success  of  the  scheme. 

The  postmaster,  however,  proved  entirely  incompetent  to 
manage  a  matter  of  so  much  delicacy,  and,  listening  to  the 
well-grounded  remonstrances  of  the  neighborhood,  shortly 
resumed  entire  control  of  the  office,  abandoning  in  despair  the 
unfamiliar  and  unpleasant  functions  of  the  detective. 

In  December  of  the  same  year,  Colonel  Schaurte  was  called 
to  Arkansas  to  investigate  certain  losses,  and  having  completed 
the  work,  decided  to  push  on  into  Texas.  The  railroads 


A    HARD    ROAD    TO    TRAVEL. 


which  have  since  made  the  northern  part  of  the  state  easily 
accessible,  were  then  barely  more  than  projected.  A  journey 
in  winter  of  several  hundred  miles  by  stage,  through  the  deep, 
black,  tenacious  mud  of  that  region,  was  a  trial  to  test  to  the 
utmost  the  physical  endurance  of  the  strongest.  The  coaches 
were  very  uncomfortable,  and  often  became  so  deeply  mired 
that  the  passengers  were  compelled  to  pry  out  the  wheels  with 


"  The  passengers  were  compelled  to  pry  out  the  wheels  with  fence  rails." 

fence-rails,  and  to  walk  over  the  worst  parts  of  the  way  to 
relieve  the  horses  of  the  load. 

Despite  the  hardships  of  the  journey,  the  unexplained  rob- 
beries at  Dover  weighed  so  heavily  on  the  mind  of  the  officer 
that  he  could  not  consent  to  return  home  without  one  more 
effort  to  develop  the  mystery.  Leaving  Little  Rock  on  the 
9th,  he  reached  his  destination,  worn  out  in  body  and  mind, 
after  ten  days  of  continuous  travel. 
10 


146 


A   MIDNIGHT   ADVENTURE. 


Manifestly,  success  could 
only  be  achieved  through  a 
lucky  combination  of  stratagem 
and  bluff.  For  a  day  or  two 
the  officer  hovered  between 
Dover  and  Daleville,  throw- 
ing out  hints  and  innuendoes 
intended  for  the  ears  of  the 
Nathan  family,  and  to  excite 
apprehensions  that  some  ill- 
defined  but  terrible  disaster 
was  about  to  fall  like  a  thun- 
derbolt upon  the  doomed  house- 
hold. 

Calling  upon  Judge  Lynch, 
one  of  the  oldest  and  most  fa- 
mous members  of  the  Texan 
judiciary,  he  procured  warrants 
for  the  arrest  of  Mrs.  Nathan 
and  of  Miss  Eleanore,  late 
postmaster.  Thus  equipped, 
he  determined  to  proceed  to 
the  house  alone,  and,  if  possi- 
ble, to  frighten  the  guilty  par- 
ties into  a  full  confession.  The 
mission  was  one  of  danger  as 
well  as  delicacy. 

It  was  a  dark,  stormy  night, 
late  in  December.  The  rain- 
drops, driven  by  a  strong  north- 
easterly wind,  penetrated  like 
hail.  Threading  his  way 
through  the  unlighted  street  of 
the  village,  and  along  the  des- 
olate and  deserted  highway, 
the  officer  sought  the  residence 


WHAT    WILL    BE    THE    RESULT? 

of  the  Nathans.  For  ten  weary  days  he  had  traveled  to  get 
there ;  and  now,  as  the  crisis  approached,  the  case  seemed 
utterly  hopeless.  The  mother  challenged  investigation,  defy- 
ing accusers  of  every  name  and  station  to  do  their  worst. 
Cool,  calculating,  and  cruel,  was  she  likely  to  be  terrified  into 
a  paroxysm  of  momentary  weakness?  As  the  special  agent 
stepped  into  the  path  leading  up  to  the  door,  is  it  strange  that 
he  mentally  inquired  why  he  had  consented  to  journey  so  far 
and  suffer  so  much  on  a  fool's  errand?  So  remote  and  des- 
perate seemed  the  chances  of  success,  so  near  the  pain  and 
peril,  that  one  less  resolute  would  have  turned  back  even  from 
the  threshold.  He  knew  that  in  the  coming  struggle  for  mas- 
tery he  was  to  encounter  a  vindictive,  implacable,  remorseless 
termagant,  who  would  not  hesitate  to  commit  murder  if  in  the 
frenzy  of  the  moment  she  conceived  that  the  blood  of  an 
adversary  would  contribute  to  her  safety. 

Having  scraped  the  mud  from  his  boots,  he  knocked  at  the 
door,  and  was  admitted  by  one  of  the  younger  daughters. 
Somewhat  to  his  surprise  he  was  received  with  a  great  show 
of  affability,  and  invited  to  a  seat  in  the  family  circle  around 
the  open  hearth.  The  mother,  then  about  fifty  years  of  age, 
was  rather  above  the  medium  height,  strongly  built,  with 
muscles  and  sinews  like  an  athlete,  with  dark,  fierce,  restless 
eyes,  thin,  compressed  lips,  and  a  countenance  that  could 
readily  flame  into  passion,  but  never  melt  into  tenderness  — 
a  veritable  Lady  Macbeth  in  low  life.  Miss  Eleanore  was 
perhaps  twenty-three,  slender  in  form,  and  rather  comely  in 
feature.  The  other  daughters,  aged  respectively  eighteen  and 
sixteen,  were  fair  specimens  of  uncultivated  frontier  beauty. 

The  officer  knew  that  the  family  hated  him  most  cordially, 
and,  what  was  of  more  importance  on  the  present  occasion,  he 
had  good  reason  to  believe  that  they  feared  him  also. 

The  evening  was  considerably  advanced  when  he  arrived. 
Accepting  the  proffered  chair,  he  regarded  the  mother  and 
eldest  daughter  with  a  serious,  melancholy  look,  as  if  he 
would  like  to  evade  a  painful  duty,  but  could  not.  From 


148  A   MIDNIGHT    ADVENTURE. 

commonplaces  the  conversation  was  gradually  directed  to 
ordinary  mail  matters,  and  thence  by  easy  stages  to  the  de- 
tection and  punishment  of  post-office  thieves.  Going  into 
minute  details,  the  special  agent  related  the  incidents  of  a 
robbery,  and  step  by  step  showed  how  the  damning  proofs 
of  guilt  were  wound  around  the  criminal  like  the  coils  of  an 
anaconda  till  escape  became  impossible.  In  due  time  the 
wretch  was  arraigned  for  trial,  when  the  whole  story  was 
brought  out  before  the  jury  and  the  people  of  the  vicinage. 
Alone,  in  a  conspicuous  box,  with  hundreds  of  eager  eyes 
fixed  on  him,  stood  the  prisoner,  with  no  one  near  to  drop  a 
word  of  sympathy  or  look  of  pity.  The  crimes  proved  in 
open  court  lay  like  an  impassable  gulf  between  that  unhappy 
man  and  the  associates  of  a  lifetime. 

Having  heard  the  evidence,  the  jury  returned  a  verdict  of 
"guilty,"  and  the  judge  sentenced  the  robber  to  a  term  of  ten 
years  in  the  penitentiary.  Then  the  lonely  horrors,  the  sun- 
less gloom  of  the  prison,  were  described.  Ten  years  in  such 
a  place  !  Who  but  a  hardened  brute  could  endure  it  and 
survive  ? 

As  the  narrative  ran  on,  the  circle  around  the  hearth  grew 
narrower,  the  women  edging  their  chairs  together  as  if  safety 
might  be  promoted  by  closer  companionship.  Meanwhile  the 
rain  continued  to  beat  against  the  window-panes,  and  the  winds 
to  howl  around  the  house-corners.  Amid  the  variety  of  dis- 
mal sounds,  the  limbs  of  an  ancient  shade-tree,  rubbed  by  the 
gale  against  the  side  of  the  building,  made  a  heavy,  grating 
noise  that  impressed  the  visitor  with  the  feeling  that  the  place 
itself,  as  a  punishment  for  the  misdeeds  of  its  occupants,  was 
haunted  and  accursed. 

After  the  story  came  to  an  end,  Mrs.  Nathan  nervously 
ordered  the  two  younger  girls  into  the  next  room  to  bed.  Pos- 
sibly they  knew  nothing  of  the  irregular  practices  carried  on 
in  the  post-office,  and  the  mother  wished  to  keep  them  in  igno- 
rance. The  agitated  manner  of  Mrs.  Nathan  and  of  Miss 
Eleanore  indicated  that  the  arrows  from  the  quiver  of  the 


officer  had  struck  upon  vulnerable  material,  causing  terror, 
if  not  rousing  to  energy  the  stings  of  conscience  that  had  long 
lain  dormant. 

From  the  character  of  the  complaints  the  special  agent  was 
able  to  form  a  pretty  correct  theory  of  the  manner  in  which 
the  depredations  began  in  the  office  at  Dover,  and  of  how  -they 
afterwards  continued  to  multiply  and  expand.  Familiarity 
with  the  mental  operations  and  moral  decline  of  the  dishon- 
est who  actually  yield  to  thieving  propensities,  also  enabled 
him  to  comprehend  the  processes  of  thought  and  the  stages  of 
feeling  through  which  the  principal  actors  had  successively 
passed. 

When  quiet  was  restored,  the  special  agent  proceeded  to 
outline  the  incidents  of  another  case,  supposed  to  have  hap- 
pened some  time  before  in  the  western  part  of  Arkansas.  In 
this  instance,  the  postmaster  was  a  young  lady  loyally  devoted 
to  the  Union,  but  impoverished  by  the  war,  with  a  mother  and 
several  sisters  dependent  upon  her  exertions  for  support.  At 
heart  the  poor  girl  was  honest  and  honorable,  fully  intending 
to  do  right,  but  the  salary  of  the  office  was  so  small,  and  the 
needs  of  the  family  so  great,  that  in  a  moment  of  supreme 
temptation  she  broke  open  and  rifled  a  letter  passing  through 
her  hands.  The  contents,  however,  brought  no  permanent 
relief,  and,  having  once  sinned,  though  with  great  reluctance 
and  pain,  she  was  soon  induced  to  repeat  the  act.  Other  rob- 
beries followed  in  quick  succession,  till  the  clamors  of  the 
public  reached  the  department,  when  the  narrator  was  in- 
structed to  investigate  the  losses.  On  reaching  the  scene  of 
action,  he  found  that  the  unhappy  girl  was  indeed  guilty,  for 
he  soon  came  into  possession  of  overwhelming  proofs  of  the 
fact.  Here  it  was  that  a  most  distressing  dilemma  was  pre- 
sented to  him.  As  a  faithful  officer  of  the  government,  it  was 
his  duty  to  bring  the  offender  to  punishment;  as  a  man,  with 
a  heart  full  of  compassion  for  the  erring  and  penitent,  he 
shrunk  from  the  responsibility  of  laying  the  heavy  hand  of 
the  law  upon  an  inexperienced  girl  who  had  strayed  from  the 


I5O  A    MIDNIGHT    ADVENTURE. 

path  of  rectitude  not  from  badness  of  nature,  but  in  a  mistaken 
effort  to  provide  food  and  clothing  for  the  helpless. 

"And  what  did  you  do  with  her?"  inquired  Miss  Eleanore, 
with  palpitating  eagerness,  interrupting  the  narrative  of  which 
but  a  brief  outline  is  here  given. 

"When  brought  to  realize  the  enormity  of  her  offense," 
answered  the  officer,  "  she  did  all  that  a  penitent  sinner  could 
—  confessed  the  facts  and  restored  the  money  still  remaining 
in  her  possession.  In  view  of  the  apparent,  and  I  have  no 
doubt  real  sincerity  of  her  repentance,  and  of  the  restitution 
of  the  stolen  property,  I  did  not  molest  her  freedom,  but  dis- 
missed the  charges  with  the  simple  injunction  to  the  offender 
to  go  and  sin  no  more.  Perhaps  I  did  wrong ;  perhaps  I 
stretched  the  privileges  of  my  office  too  far.  It  may  be  I  had 
no  right  to  save  from  prison  a  helpless  girl.  If  I  made  a  mis- 
take, however,  I  have  the  satisfaction  of  knowing  that  I  erred 
in  a  conscientious  endeavor  under  difficult  circumstances  to  act 
for  the  best." 

Meanwhile  Mrs.  Nathan  had  risen  from  her  seat,  and,  with 
arms  folded  behind  her  back  after  the  manner  of  men,  was 
slowly  pacing  the  room,  trying  either  to  find  transient  forget- 
fulness  in  motion,  or  to  sharpen  her  perceptions  by  muscular 
exercise.  Another  turn  brought  her  directly  in  front  of  the 
special  agent,  and,  looking  into  his  eye  with  a  searching  gaze, 
she  inquired,  in  a  voice  that  betrayed  the  utmost  anxiety, 
"What  does  all  this  mean?  For  God's  sake,  tell  me  what  you 
intend  to  do  !  I  have  heard  a  good  many  things  during  the 
past  few  days,  and  want  to  know  the  worst.  Nothing  can  be 
harder  to  bear  than  this  suspense." 

In  solemn  tones,  trembling  with  assumed  emotion,  the  spe- 
cial agent  replied,  "  Rest  assured,  madam,  I  shall  aim  to  make 
your  burden  as  light  as  possible,  and  to  spare  you  from  trouble 
and  humiliation  so  far  as  my  obligations  to  the  government  will 
permit.  Still,  be  my  individual  feelings  what  they  may,  as  an 
officer  I  must  do  my  duty." 

"Tell  me  all  at  once,"  she  exclaimed,  clasping  her  hands 


A   FORMIDABLE    DOCUMENT. 

so  firmly  together  that  the  blood  was  driven  from  the  fingers ; 
« tell  me  all!" 

"Madam,"  replied  he,  "it  is  a  power  higher  than  I  that 
speaks.  A  warrant  for  the  arrest  of  you  and  Miss  Eleanore 
arrived  to-day,  and  I  am  charged  with  its  execution." 

While  speaking,  he  drew  the  parchment  from  his  pocket, 
and  deliberately  unfolded  it.  The  document  looked  more  like 


••  Mrs.  Nathan,  with  arms  folded  behind  her  back,  was  slowly  pacing  the 

room." 

a  death-warrant  than  anything  else,  for  Judge  Lynch  had 
thrown  into  its  preparation  the  concentrated  ingenuity  ac- 
quired during  many  years  of  practice.  In  prominent  charac- 
ters on  the  sheet  were  enrolled  the  names  of  the  accused  with 
the  charges  against  them. 

The  sight  was  too  much  even  for  the  firm  nerves  of  Mrs. 
Nathan.  With  a  look  of  horror  and  despair  she  turned  away, 
and  threw  herself  into  a  chair.  Miss  Eleanore  was  less 


152  A   MIDNIGHT    ADVENTURE. 

powerfully  affected,  tears  trickling  down  silently  over  features 
otherwise  immovable.  The  moment  seemed  opportune  for  the 
final  and  decisive  move  in  the  game. 

Gently  taking  the  hand  of  the  girl,  the  officer  continued : 
"Miss  Eleanore,  if  you  will  confide  in  me  implicitly,  I  can 
save  both  you  and  your  mother.  Heaven  knows  I  do  not 
wish  to  be  instrumental  in  sending  ladies  to  prison.  From 
the  bottom  of  my  heart,  I  desire  to  see  such  a  calamity  to 
you,  to  her,  to  your  innocent  sisters,  averted.  Restore  the 
money,  and  no  harm  shall  come  near  this  household." 

"Do  you  really  mean  it?"  inquired  she,  imploringly. 

"I  do,"  he  answered.  "My  word  is  pledged,  and  my  word 
is  sacred." 

A  sudden  but  resistless  impulse  seemed  to  seize  the  young 
woman.  Without  casting  a  glance  toward  the  mother,  or 
pausing  to  deliberate,  she  went  to  a.  home-made  lounge  or 
settee  standing  in  one  corner  of  the  room,  and  lifting  the 
moss-stuffed  cushion,  drew  forth  a  package  of  bills,  which 
she  placed  in  the  hand  of  the  special  agent,  saying,  "This 
is  all  I  have  left,  and  nearly  all  that  I  have  ever  taken  from 
the  mails.  I  alone  am  responsible.  Mother  had  nothing 
to  do  with  it.  I  know  I  acted  very  wrong,  but  I  did  it  to 
obtain  money  to  pay  lawyers  for  defending  brother  Ned. 
Now,  Colonel  Schaurte,  you  will  keep  your  promise  not  to 
arrest  us,  won't  you?" 

"Miss  Eleanore,"  replied  the  officer,  taking  the  roll  of 
bills,  "my  word  shall  be  sacredly  kept  to  the  letter.  Give 
yourself  no  uneasiness.  You  are  a  woman.  You  have  con- 
fessed and  made  restitution  under  pledge  of  safety.  If  I  err  in 
letting  you  off*  so  lightly,  that  mistake  shall  be  my  only  one." 

"  May  God  bless  you  for  your  goodness  ! "  exclaimed  the 
poor  girl,  as  the  heavy  load  of  apprehension  rolled  from  her 
shoulders.  "I  shall  always  remember  with  gratitude  your 
kindness." 

While  this  important  scene  was  taking  place,  Mrs.  Nathan 
sat  speechless  and  immovable,  but  her  apparent  apathy  was 


AN    ENRAGED    FEMALE. 


like  the  treacherous  calm  that  sometimes  precedes  and  her- 
alds the  tropical  cyclone.  Without  a  word,  she  rose  and  left 
the  room.  It  was  now  about  twelve  o'clock,  — 

"  The  very  witching  time  of  night 
When  churchyards  yawn,  and  Hell  itself  breathes  out 
Contagion  to  this  world." 

In  a  few  minutes  she  returned,  pale  but  determined.     Her 
small  black  eye  seemed  to   emit  venom  like  the  eye  of  an 


Her  small  black  eye  seemed  to  emit  venom  like  the  eye  of  an  enraged 
rattlesnake." 

enraged  rattlesnake.  Her  lips  were  tightly  compressed, 
with  flecks  of  froth  exuding  from  the  corners.  In  her  hand 
she  grasped  a  pistol.  Striding  toward  the  officer  and  raising 
the  weapon,  she  hissed  through  her  clenched  teeth,  "You 
have  betrayed  us,  base  wretch,  and  shall  never  leave  this 
house  alive  I " 


154  A    MIDNIGHT    ADVENTURE. 

"Then,"  replied  he,  springing  to  his  feet,  "we  will  die 
together." 

In  his  pocket  the  officer  had  two  trusty  derringers,  but  as 
he  was  about  to  draw  one,  he  could  not  forget  that  his 
antagonist,  though  a  devil,  was  still  a  woman. 

Quick  as  thought,  Miss  Eleanore  threw  herself  in  front  of 
the  infuriated  hag,  and  in  tremulous  tones  seemed  able  only 
to  articulate  the  words,  "Mother,  O  mother!"  Frenzied  to 
the  point  of  madness,  however,  the  unnatural  parent,  with  the 
strength  of  a  giant,  thrust  aside  her  child.  The  officer  strove  to 
look  cool  and  collected,  and,  if  measurably  successful,  could 
not  but  admit  that  the  muscles  of  the  face  did  more  than  jus- 
tice to  the  feelings  of  the  heart. 

At  this  perilous  crisis,  three  low,  distinct,  solemn  raps 
were  heard  at  the  door.  Who  stood  outside  in  the  pelting 
storm,  friend  or  foe?  Each  one  in  the  room  listened  in 
dread.  It  flashed  across  the  mind  of  the  special  agent  that 
Ned  had  returned  home  for  a  stealthy  visit,  his  hands  reek- 
ing with  gore,  and  ready  for  further  bloodshed  to  avenge 
the  real  or  fancied  wrongs  of  the  family.  Much  more 
palpable  was  the  alarm  of  Mrs.  Nathan,  for  the  pistol 
dropped  from  her  terror-stricken  hand.  With  her  foot  the 
daughter  pushed  the  weapon  aside,  and  it  was  seen  by  the 
visitor  no  more. 

It  required  a  repetition  of  the  raps  to  break  the  spell. 
Summoning  all  his  courage,  the  officer  stepped  to  the  door, 
feeling  that  between  two  fires  very  likely  his  last  hour  had 
come.  Opening  it  slightly,  he  peered  into  the  gloom,  but  at 
first  could  see  nothing,  so  blinding  was  the  wind  and  rain. 
Then  in  the  dim  light  from  the  aperture  a  muffled  figure 
was  obscurely  outlined.  "  Thank  God  that  you  still  live  ! " 
whispered  the  dreaded  visitant.  w  I  was  sure  you  were  mur- 
dered. Come  away,  or  she  will  kill  you.  You  don't  know 
that  woman." 

It  was   the  familiar  voice  of  Tom  Brent,  the  postmaster. 


155 


Alarmed  at  the  failure  of  the  officer  to  return,  the  faithful 
friend  had  come  to  render  aid,  if  aid  could  now  be  of  avail. 
The  reaction  from  fear  transported  the  special  agent  to  the 
highest  altitude  of  courage  and  determination.  Alone  he  felt 

equal  to  the  task  of  subduing 
a  spirit  that  nothing  hitherto 
had  been  able  to  break.  With 
the  confession  of  the  post- 
master secured,  and  a  goodly 
portion  of  the  stolen  money  in 
his  possession,  he  might  have 
left  the  accursed  place,  con- 
scious that  the  difficult  under- 
taking had  been  fully  accom- 
plished. But  he  was  not 
satisfied  to  retreat  under  fire. 
The  guns  of  the  enemy  must 
first  be  spiked. 

In  pursuance  of  this  reso- 
lution, he  said,  in  a  low  tone, 
"My  dear  Brent,  go  back  to 
your  office,  and  wait  till  I 
come.  My  work  here  must 
not  be  spoiled." 

Closing  the  door,  he  re- 
turned to  the  side  of  the  two  women  near  the  fire-place, 
whom  he  endeavored  to  soothe  into  tranquillity.  "  Do  not  be 
alarmed,  Mrs.  Nathan,"  he  said;  "I  will  not  allow  anyone 
to  hurt  you,  or  suffer  you  to  be  arrested.  The  parties  out- 
side are  only  Masons,  brother  knights,  who  will  attempt 
nothing  except  by  my  direction.  Miss  Eleanore  has  trusted 
to  my  word  of  honor,  and  shall  never  have  occasion  to 
regret  it.  This  is  the  badge  of  our  order,"  exhibiting  a  Mal- 
tese cross  with  skull  and  crossbones. 

At  this  point   Mrs.  Nathan  broke  down   completely,  and 


Thank  God  that  you  still  live ! '  whis- 
pered the  dreaded  visitant." 


A   MIDNIGHT    ADVENTURE. 


eyes  long  unused  to  tears  began  to  weep.  Either  from  con- 
trition or  policy,  she  strove  to  conciliate  the  man  whom  a 
few  minutes  before  she  had  tried  to  shoot.  "  Colonel 
Schaurte,"  she  said,  WI  owe  you  ten  thousand  apologies. 
Do  forgive  me.  I  did  not  know  what  I  was  about.  I  believe 

now  you  are  the  best  friend 
we  have  on  earth."  She  then 
sought  advice  in  regard  to 
family  affairs,  and  among  the 
rest,  in  reference  to  the  pro- 
spective marriage  of  Miss 
Eleanore.  From  the  freedom 
of  the  conference  one  would 
have  inferred  that  the  little 
group  were  life-long  friends. 

About  two  o'clock  he  bade 
adieu  to  the  penitent  and 
grateful  women,  hastening  as 
fast  as  the  storm  and  mud 
would  permit  to  the  post-of- 
fice, where  the  faithful  friend, 
Tom  Brent,  was  still  waiting 
in  a  state  of  tremulous  appre- 
hension. The  package  of 
bills  was  unrolled,  and  was 
found  to  contain  nearly  one 
thousand  dollars.  By  the 
numbers  and  other  marks, 
many  of  them  were  identified 

as  the  bills  forwarded  in  the  money-order  remittance  from 
Daleville  to  St.  Louis  the  previous  August,  and  rifled  on 
the  way. 

Early  the  next  morning  he  rode  over  to  Daleville  to  acquaint 
Mr.  Henry  Smith,  the  postmaster,  with  the  happy  result  of 
the  investigation.  The  old  gentleman,  then  about  seventy- 


"  The  special  agent  listened  with  appar- 
ent interest  to  the  doleful  doggerel." 


IT    ENDS    WITH    A   WEDDING. 


five  years  of  age,  seemed  to  take  very  little  interest  in  the 
matter,  and,  instead  of  complimenting  the  officer  on  his  ex- 
ploit, drew  forth  an  original  manuscript  poem  of  a  hundred 
pages  or  less,  which  he  proceeded,  in  a  low,  monotonous  tone, 
to  read  aloud.  More  considerate  than  the  rhymester,  the 
special  agent  listened  with  apparent  interest  to  the  doleful 
doggerel,  till  the  entrance  of  a  daughter,  who  appreciated 
the  weakness  of  her  father,  put  an  end  to  the  affliction. 


"  With  a  sly  twinkle  of  the  eye,  he  congratulated  the  bridegroom  upon  his 

good  fortune." 

On  his  way  home,  the  special  agent  remained  at  Dover 
over  night  to  attend,  by  special  invitation,  the  wedding  of 
Miss  Eleanore.  The  guests  were  few  and  select.  With  a 
sly  twinkle  of  the  eye,  he  congratulated  the  bridegroom  upon 
his  good  fortune  in  securing  so  amiable  a  wife,  and  so  high- 


158  A   MIDNIGHT   ADVENTURE. 

toned  a  mother-in-law.     At  midnight  he  left,  standing  high 
in  the  good  graces  of  the  family. 

As  the  postmaster  confessed,  and  restored  the  stolen  prop- 
erty under  pledge  of  protection,  no  further  action  was  taken 
in  the  case. 


//, 


THERTON,  a  quiet,  aristo- 
cratic village,  in  the  valley 
of  the  Hudson,  is  a  fair  type 
of  not   a   few  towns   in  the 
older  states,  that,  in  the  race 
for    population   and    wealth, 
have    been    outstripped    by 
younger     rivals.       Founded 
prior   to   the    Revolution,    it 
had    grown    into    a  thriving 
settlement  while  the  savage 
still   roamed   in  undisturbed 
possession    upon     the     sites 
where     cities      have      since 
sprung   up    and  become  fa- 
mous.    From  a  tranquil  eddy 
on  the  border  of  the  stream 
the    inhabitants    watch    the 
seething  currents  of  life  and 
traffic    as     they    surge    by, 
thankful   that   they   are    not 
themselves  in  the  distracting  turmoil. 

Except  in  the  character  of  the  people,  there  is  no  reason 
why  Atherton  should  not  have  maintained  the  start  won  at  the 
outset  of  the  race.  Advantages  of  location  as  well  as  priority 
of  settlement  gave  promise  of  a  prosperous  career.  During 
the  critical  period  of  growth,  however,  the  leading  citizens, 


Paul  Atherton. 


l6o  A    FALLEN    STAR. 

instead  of  inviting,  repelled  enterprise.  When  the  pioneers 
were  laying  out  one  of  the  first  railroads  of  the  system  that 
has  since  been  so  extended  as  to  bring  into  one  neighborhood 
the  entire  breadth  of  the  continent,  the  Athertonians,  regard- 
ing as  a  nuisance  the  whistle  of  the  locomotive  and  the  rum- 
ble of  trains,  gave  the  project  no  encouragement,  thereby 
permitting  a  great  iron  artery  to  be  located  just  near  enough 
to  absorb  their  life-blood,  without  imparting  any  nutriment  in 
return.  Similar  indifference  was  shown  to  early  attempts  to 
introduce  manufactures,  from  apprehension  that  the  repose  of 
the  town  would  be  disturbed,  and  the  morals  of  the  youth  cor- 
rupted, by  the  operatives  in  the  mills. 

The  principal  street  extended  a  mile  and  a  half,  and  was 
lined  on  each  side  with  substantial  residences,  built  mostly  of 
brick,  trimmed  with  blue  stone.  The  inclosures  were  capa- 
cious, and  profusely  shaded  with  choice  trees  and  shrubbery. 
Yet  on  the  main  avenue  hardly  a  new  structure  had  gone  up 
within  a  quarter  of  a  century.  A  stranger  could  see  at  a 
glance  that  these  homes  were  reared  for  permanence  by 
wealthy  owners,  at  a  period  when  every  man's  house  was 
his  castle.  Occasionally  a  dilapidated  family,  rooted  to  the 
soil,  had  been  forced  by  stress  of  adversity  to  allow  the 
yards  and  fences  to  go  to  waste ;  but  in  such  cases  the  hon- 
est old  dwellings  lasted  much  better  than  the  blood.  In  a 
number  of  the  gardens  there  can  still  be  seen  the  old-fash- 
ioned sun-dial,  long  antedating  the  era  of  the  once  ubiqui- 
tous clock-peddler. 

Any  description  would  be  sadly  imperfect  that  omitted  ref- 
erence to  the  churches.  Solid,  square,  modest  in  appoint- 
ments, and  boasting  neither  tall  spires  nor  stained  windows, 
they  stand  to-day  as  they  stood  in  the  days  of  the  patroons, 
resisting  innovation,  and  offering,  as  they  have  long  done, 
the  only  retreats  where  patrician  and  plebeian  can  meet  on 
common  ground,  in  the  presence  of  a  common  God. 

The  germ  of  this  unique  development  was  outlined  at  the 
first  meeting  of  the  original  settlers.  It  was  then  voted  that 


AN    ABODE    OF    PEACE.  l6l 

Abraham  Atherton  and  his  heirs  forever  should  be  a  commit- 
tee of  the  village,  with  a  power  equal  to  each  of  the  four 
annually  chosen  by  the  people.  In  due  time  the  Revolution, 
with  its  charter  of  equal  rights,  demolished  all  such  privi- 
leges, but  in  this  instance  the  spirit  of  the  usage  long  sur- 
vived its  fall.  Thus,  for  half  a  century  previous  to  the  inci- 
dents about  to  be  narrated,  the  village  had  led  a  slumberous 
and  monumental  existence,  an  antique  link  in  the  chain  con- 
necting the  present  with  the  past. 

As  might  be  inferred  from  the  exclusive  habits  of  the  peo- 
ple, intelligence  and  morality  largely  predominated  ;  for  vice, 
gregarious  in  its  tendencies,  makes  slow  headway  where 
conservatism  is  the  fashion.  An  unusually  large  proportion 
enjoyed  incomes  sufficiently  abundant  to  raise  the  recipients 
above  the  necessities  of  toil  and  the  perplexities  of  traffic. 
The  schools  were  good,  the  churches  well  attended,  and  a 
branch  of  the  Young  Men's  Christian  Association  furnished 
the  principal  exhibitions  for  the  entertainment  of  the  youth. 
No  glittering  or  meretricious  temptations  were  thrown  in  the 
way  of  the  rising  generation  to  lure  them  to  evil.  Such  in- 
cidents of  our  progressive  civilization  as  "  defalcations "  or 
"  embezzlements "  —  modern  terms  invented  to  veneer  the 
hideousness  of  what  is  called  robbery  or  theft  in  the  case  of 
the  low  and  the  friendless  —  were  unknown,  and  as  far  back 
as  memory  ran,  not  an  arrest  of  an  Athertonian  had  been 
made  for  an  offense  enumerated  in  the  calendar  of  crimes. 

In  one  respect  Atherton  was  fully  abreast  of  its  most  enter- 
prising neighbors,  and  far  in  advance  of  the  average  village 
of  similar  size.  Too  often,  at  the  period  of  which  we  write, 
post-offices  were  located  in  dirt-begrimed  rookeries,  whither 
the  loafers  of  the  place  resorted  to  smoke,  gossip,  and  tell 
stories,  the  doors  being  practically  closed  against  ladies  by 
the  vileness  of  the  surroundings.  Not  so  here.  Though 
sharing  the  prevalent  air  of  repose,  the  office  was  provided 
with  all  the  modern  improvements  for  the  convenient  dispatch 
of  business,  and  was  a  model  of  neatness  and  order.  The 
ii 


l62  A    FALLEN    STAR. 

public  were  proud  of  the  institution,  and  had  an  abiding  faith 
in  its  good  management. 

Thus  affairs  had  gone  on  for  many  years  without  a  ripple  of 
trouble  or  distrust  to  ruffle  the  placid  surface.  At  rare  inter- 
vals letters  to  distant  points  would  be  reported  as  lost  or  de- 
layed ;  but  the  facts  were  uniformly  explained,  without  calling 
in  question  the  carefulness  or  honest}r  of  the  home-office.  But 
maladies  requiring  treatment  from  the  agents  of  the  depart- 
ment sometimes  break  out  where  least  expected.  All  at  once, 
merchants  and  capitalists,  whose  life-long  experience  had 
caused  them  to  place  implicit  trust  in  the  security  of  the  mails, 
began  to  suffer  from  the  depredations  of  a  thief.  Remittances 
carefully  deposited  in  the  box  at  the  post-office  .were  never 
heard  of  afterwards,  though  in  nearly  every  instance  the  letters 
reached  the  persons  addressed  in  apparently  good  condition. 
Expected  acknowledgments  failed  to  come  to  hand,  but  in 
their  place  came  reminders  that  the  writers  had  forgotten  the 
inclosures.  Correspondence  of  no  pecuniary  value,  or  con^ 
taining  checks,  uniformly  reached  their  destination,  but  moneys 
were  ruthlessly  confiscated.  In  the  opinion  of  the  sufferers, 
the  daring  robber  who  had  laid  an  embargo  on  their  mails 
was  credited  with  a  sort  of  clairvoyant  faculty  for  discerning 
bank-notes,  even  when  buried  beneath  triple  folds  of  paper; 
else  why  should  inclosures  of  every  other  kind  pass  unmolest- 
ed? The  thefts  that  began  in  driblets  increased  in  frequency, 
till  the  annoyance  became  intolerable'.  Different  parties  com- 
plained to  the  postmaster,  and  finding  no  relief,  explained 
their  grievances  to  the  department  at  Washington.  Some 
hinted  confidentially  where  the  trouble  would  probably  be 
found,  but  in  no  instance  did  suspicion,  like  an  oft-praised 
form  of  charity,  begin  at  home.  The  various  papers  were 
duly  referred  to  special  agent  B.  K.  Sharretts,  of  New  York 
city,  who  was  deputed  to  visit  the  locality,  look  over  the 
ground,  and  draw  his  own  conclusions. 

Within  a  few  years,  besides  building  a  street  railway  to 
Ilium,  several  of  the  capitalists  of  Atherton  had  so  far  yielded 


WHO    CAN    BE    THE    THIEF?  163 

to  the  spirit  of  progress  as  to  invest  a  portion  of  their  wealth 
in  the  establishment  of  local  manufactories.  The  complaints 
made  to  Washington  emanated  principally  from  two  of  these 
concerns,  each  of  which  had  frequent  occasion  to  send  money 
by  mail.  Rifled  letters  went  through  apparently  intact,  but 
contained  no  trace  of  the  remittances  referred  to  in  the  text. 
At  first  the  discrepancies  were  attributed  to  carelessness, 
charges  and  countercharges  passing  between  correspondents 
with  a  freedom  that,  in  some  instances,  reached  the  verge  of 
acerbity.  As  the  trouble  continued  to  grow,  however,  after 
the  parties  most  deeply  interested  had  been  put  upon  their 
guard,  the  losers  settled  down  into  the  conviction  that  some 
outside  barbarian,  posted  along  the  approaches  to  Atherton, 
was  perpetrating  these  deeds  of  direful  note. ' 

A  striking  peculiarity  of  the  depredations  early  struck  the 
attention  of  the  agent.  Aside  from  the  two  manufacturers  re- 
ferred to,  very  few  of  the  residents  had  met  with  any  trouble, 
and  these  belonged  to  the  class  who  keep  matters  to  them- 
selves, and  are  constitutionally  averse  to  making  mention  of 
their  wrongs.  Notwithstanding  the  embargo,  the  public  gen- 
erally could  still  remit  money  with  perfect  security,  their  letters 
never  being  disturbed. 

In  running  down  mail  thieves,  a  skillful  agent  proceeds 
successively  to  locate  the  office  where  the  robberies  occur,  to 
"spot"  the  offender,  and,  after  the  accomplishment  of  these 
preliminaries,  to  so  conduct  the  subsequent  investigation  as  to 
secure  undoubted  legal  evidence  of  the  guilt  of  the  criminal. 
The  first  step  in  the  series  required  no  study.  Mails  to  and 
from  Atherton,  at  that  time,  all  passed  through  the  neighbor- 
ing city  of  Ilium.  From  the  latter  place  the  rifled  letters 
diverged  to  every  point  of  the  compass,  so  that  only  two 
offices  handled  any  considerable  part  of  them,  and  in  one  of 
the  two  the  thief  must  accordingly  be  sought.  But  Ilium 
also  distributed  the  mails  for  a  wide  extent  of  country,  and 
throughout  the  entire  circuit  no  community,  except  Atherton, 
experienced  any  losses.  The  inference,  then,  was  irresistible 


164 


A   FALLEN    STAR. 


that  the  author  of  the  trouble  must  be  looked  for  there.  If 
located  at  Ilium,  with  a  hundred  offices  to  operate  on,  he 
would  be  a  most  extraordinary  thief  to  confine  his  attentions  to 
one. 

At  this  stage  of  the  investigation  the  case,  from  its  apparent 
simplicity,  promised  to  yield  readily  to  the  common  remedies. 
Making  Ilium  a  point  d'appui,  the  officer  visited  Atherton 
incognito >  carefully  surveying  the  office  and  its  environs,  and 


41  The  officer  mailed  a  number  of  letters  that  to  an  ordinary  thief  would  have 
proved  as  irresistibly  attractive  as  fat  chickens  to  a  hungry  hawk." 

mailing  a  number  of  letters  that  to  the  ordinary  thief  would 
have  proved  as  irresistibly  attractive  as  fat  chickens  to  a 
hungry  hawk.  He  returned  to  Ilium  in  time  to  intercept  the 
pouch  from  Atherton  only  to  find  the  decoys  all  present  and 
intact.  For  a  number  of  successive  days  the  experiment  was 
repeated  with  similar  results.  At  this  slow  rate  of  progress 
the  inquiry  speedily  grew  monotonous  and  wearisome.  Where 
the  agent  expected  to  catch  a  gudgeon  at  the  first  drop  of  the 


OPERATING    INCOGNITO.  165 

line,  he  found  instead  a  crafty  old  fish  that  obstinately  refused 
to  bite.  Might  it  not  be  that  an  outsider,  having  no  legit- 
imate business  within  the  counter,  perpetrated  the  thefts  ? 
Employes,  often  careless  and  confiding,  are  liable  to  be  im- 
posed upon,  to  the  great  injury  of  the  public,  by  cunning 
rascals,  who  cultivhte  their  acquaintance  for  the  express  pur- 
pose of  gaining  opportunities  to  steal.  These  are  more  diffi- 
cult to  detect,  because  their  operations  are  more  irregular 
and  capricious.  Other  questions,  that  could  not  be  answered 
satisfactorily  without  an  intimate  knowledge  of  the  inner  work- 
ings of  the  office,  required  solution  as  a  preliminary  to  final 
success. 

Meanwhile,  as  the  agent  was  operating  incognito,  the  dan- 
ger of  exposure  daily  increased.  Should  it  leak  out  that  a 
strange  United  States  official  was  lurking  in  the  vicinity 
without  making  himself  known,  the  thief,  ever  on  the  alert 
to  scent  the  approach  of  danger,  would  at  once  take  the 
alarm,  and,  declining  all  further  opportunities  to  steal,  would, 
as  a  matter  of  policy,  become  for  the  nonce  scrupulously 
exact.  He  accordingly  determined  to  adopt  a  bold  line  of 
action,  and  one  which  requires  for  successful  development 
rare  self-possession,  tact,  and  readiness  of  invention.  This 
was  no  less  than  to  proceed  openly  to  the  office,  in  true  offi- 
cial character.  One  morning,  therefore,  he  dropped  in  upon 
the  postmaster  in  the  most  informal  manner,  and  having  ex- 
hibited his  credentials,  remarked,  in  tones  loud  enough  to  be 
heard  by  the  employes,  that  he  was  on  a  visit  to  the  locality 
for  the  purpose  of  ascertaining  the  status  of  a  mail  contrac- 
tor residing  in  the  neighborhood,  who,  at  the  late  lettings, 
had  been  the  successful  bidder  on  several  stage  routes  in 
adjacent  states.  The  department  was  naturally  anxious  to 
learn  whether  he  could  give  the  requisite  bonds,  and  other- 
wise fulfill  his  engagements.  Not  a  word  was  uttered  by 
either  one  in  regard  to  local  troubles,  or  a  whisper  breathed 
in  reference  to  missing  letters. 

The  postmaster,  a  fine  old  gentleman,  evidently  well  along 


l66  A    FALLEN    STAR. 

in  the  sixties,  wore  an  expression  of  guileless  honesty  that 
lifted  him  far  above  the  range  of  distrust.  It  was  apparent 
from  his  face  and  bearing  that  he  was  not  a  person  either  to 
do  wrong  himself  or  to  suspect  evil  in  others.  Thus  a  glance 
served  to  eliminate  from  the  investigation  the  chief  of  the  es- 
tablishment. Close  watching  and  adroit  inquiries  soon  satis- 
fied the  agent  that  no  outsider  did  the  stealing.  The  thief, 
whoever  he  might  be,  lived,  moved,  and  had  his  being  within 
the  limits  of  the  inclosure.  How  he  was  to  be  discovered 
was  the  one  question  now  to  be  considered. 

There  were  but  two  clerks  in  the  office :  a  young  gentle- 
man of  great  reputed  ability  and  elevation  of  character,  Mr. 
Paul  Atherton,  and  a  boy  called  w  Scrappy,"  whose  name, 
however,  was  entered  on  the  baptismal  register  as  Sandy 
Scrapps.  Paul  was  a  lineal  descendant  of  Abraham,  the 
colonial  magistrate  who  founded  the  village ;  and  to  him,  by 
right  of  seniority,  and  as  the  heir  of  a  locally  illustrious  name, 
the  agent  first  directed  his  attention.  About  twenty-four  years 
of  age,  tall  and  erect,  with  raven  hair  and  piercing  black  eyes, 
young. Atherton  presented  a  striking,  and  to  the  casual  ob- 
server a  prepossessing  exterior.  A  white  necktie,  superadded 
to  immaculate  linen  and  clothes  of  irreproachable  cut,  strong- 
ly suggested  the  divinity  student  as  the  character  which  he 
inclined  to  affect.  Enjoying  a  spotless  reputation,  he  was 
foremost  in  conspicuous  charities,  and  especially  in  the  vari- 
ous enterprises  undertaken  for  the  regeneration  of  a  "  lost  and 
ruined  world."  As  a  deacon  in  a  leading  church,  secretary 
of  the  Young  Men's  Christian  Association,  and  director  of  a 
semi-weekly  prayer-meeting,  he  won  golden  opinions  from 
the  religious  element,  which  regarded  him  as  a  paragon  of 
piety.  Recalling  the  maxim,  "Whom  the  gods  love  die 
young,"  as  illustrated  in  Sunday-school  books  by  the  early 
translation  of  good  little  saints,  and  observing,  too,  a  wan, 
weary  look  on  the  face  of  the  favorite,  caused,  doubtless,  by 
midnight  vigils  at  the  foot  of  the  throne,  the  spinsters  of  the 
congregation  expressed  to  each  other  vague  apprehensions 


that  Paul,  too  pure  and  spiritual  for  earth,  would  not  be  per- 
mitted to  tarry  long  among  them. 

Such  was  the  character  borne  by  the  assistant  postmaster  in 
the  community,  and  as  such  was  he  known  to  the  agent  ori 
the  morning  of  the  first  call  at  the  office.  After  subjecting 
him  to  close  but  guarded  scrutiny,  however,  the  observer 
became  impressed  that  the  popular  estimate  was  strangely 
false.  The  rhyme  of  Tom  Brown  came  to  mind  as  some- 
how pertinent  to  the  case. 

"  I  do  not  love  thee,  Doctor  Fell, 
The  reason  why  I  cannot  tell ; 
But  this  alone  I  know  full  well, 
I  do  not  love  thee,  Doctor  Fell." 

The  countenance  of  Paul  lacked  the  transparency  and  open- 
ness of  ingenuous  youth.  A  broad  scar  on  the  right  cheek 
had  a  queer  trick  of  turning  deep  crimson  under  the  flush  of 
excitement,  while  the  rest  of  the  face  remained  unchanged. 
His  eye  wandered  uneasily  as  if  accustomed  to  watch  for  pit- 
falls, and  occasionally  shot  forth  a  gleam  of  apprehension  and 
unrest,  that,  combined  with  the  fitful  blaze  of  the  scar,  recalled 
Dante's  legend  of  the  chained  devil,  waiting  for  his  fetters  to 
break,  that  he  might  lead  to  ruin  everything,  whether  damned 
or  sacred,  that  fell  in  his  way. 

Scrappy,  the  other  clerk,  produced  a  very  different  impres- 
sion on  the  mind  of  the  observer.  A  round,  plump  form  gave 
abundant  proof  of  an  easy  conscience  and  good  digestion, 
while  a  broad,  mirthful,  good-natured  face,  illumined  by  a 
clear,  steady  eye,  afforded  the  strongest  kind  of  internal  evi- 
dence that  his  feet  had  never  learned  to  stray  from  the  path 
of  rectitude. 

Having  ruled  out  of  the  investigation  both  the  postmaster 
and  Scrappy  as  unquestionably  honest,  the  agent  determined 
to  cultivate  a  more  intimate  acquaintance  with  Mr.  Paul 
Atherton,  and  to  become  familiar  with  his  habits  and  pecu- 
liarities. 

In  part  pursuance  of  the  plan  he  called  at  the  office  every 


l68  A   FALLEN    STAR. 

morning,  and  soon  succeeded  in  impressing  the  postmaster 
and  the  clerks  with  the  belief  that  he  was  a  harmless  bore. 
They  might  wonder  occasionally  what  kept  him  so  long  in 
the  locality,  but,  supposing  that  the  special  service  offered  an 
asylum  for  the  support  of  more  or  less  decayed  politicians, 
naturally  inferred  that  he  belonged  to  the  supernumeraries 
who  went  about  on  light  jobs  for  the  department,  as  a  cover 
for  more  familiar  and  congenial  work.  Paul  frequently  joined 
in  the  conversation  with  a  subdued  though  manifest  air  of 


'•  But  the  gentleman  declined  to  lend  the  slightest  assistance." 

condescension  and  patronage.  Clearly  he  anticipated  no 
danger  from  this  quarter.  On  his  part  the  agent  was  partic- 
ularly careful  to  say  or  do  nothing  to  excite  apprehension. 

Meanwhile  test  letters  continued  to  pass  through  the  office 
undisturbed,  though  the  losses  of  the  original  sufferers  showed 
no  signs  of  abatement.  It  is  the  business  of  a  detective,  by 
studying  the  work  of  a  thief,  to  learn  his  methods,  —  to  pene- 
trate as  it  were  into  his  inner  consciousness,  with  a  view  of 


THE    CLERK.  169 

discovering  the  theories  on  which  he  acts.  In  the  present 
troubles  it  had  now  become  tolerably  clear  that  the  depreda- 
tor confined  his  operations  to  a  few  prominent  establishments. 
The  agent  accordingly  solicited,  in  confidence,  the  co-opera- 
tion of  the  chief  of  one  of  the  principal  houses,  which  the 
robber  had  honored  with  his  attentions ;  but  the  gentleman 
peremptorily  declined  to  lend  the  slightest  assistance,  resent- 
ing the  implied  imputation  upon  the  fair  fame  of  the  Atherton 
office,  and  suggesting  courteously,  though  with  sufficient  plain- 
ness to  be  intelligible,  that  this  was  no  place  for  "putting  up  a 
job  "  on  the  innocent.  Nothing  remained  but  to  fight  the 
battle  alone,  with  a  still  unshaken  faith  that  in  some  way  Jus- 
tice would  aid  her  servant  to  the  accomplishment  of  her  ends. 

Several  mornings  the  detective  observed  on  the  features  of 
Paul  a  wan,  sleepy,  dissipated  look,  such  as  a  bacchanalian 
wears  after  a  night-long  debauch.  The  appearance  differed 
entirely  from  the  symptoms  of  disease.  As  there  is  no  effect 
without  a  cause,  he  proceeded  to  investigate  the  origin  of  the 
phenomenon. 

Returning  from  Ilium  after  dark,  to  shadow  the  movements 
of  the  clerk,  the  detective  found  that  he  boarded  at  the  house 
of  an  uncle,  and  went  to  bed  with  remarkable  punctuality  at 
precisely  nine  o'clock.  If  out  for  the  evening,  he  returned 
home  shortly  before  the  appointed  hour,  and  as  the  church- 
clock  struck  nine,  a  light  appeared  in  one  of  the  front  cham- 
bers, and  was  uniformly  extinguished  after  the  lapse  of  a 
few  minutes,  when  darkness  reigned  throughout  the  house. 
Night  after  night  the  agent  took  a  stand  under  a  convenient 
tree  diagonally  opposite,  and  night  after  night  the  same  routine 
was  repeated.  Perplexed  but  not  discouraged,  he  resolved  to 
persevere.  The  puzzle  of  the  jaded  and  haggard  countenance 
acquired  a  positive  fascination,  haunting  his  thoughts,  and 
even  intruding  on  his  dreams.  As  the  mystery  deepened,  an 
important  discovery  rewarded  the  fidelity  of  the  officer. 

On  a  cold,  drizzly,  disagreeable  night,  having  finished  the 
customary  vigil  and  witnessed  the  extinguishment  of  the  light 


170 


A    FALLEN    STAR. 


in  the  chamber  of  the  clerk,  supposing  that  the  curtain  had 
dropped  finally  on  the  operations  of  the  day,  the  agent  emerged 
from  the  "  coigne  of  vantage  "  beside  the  tree-trunk.  Wet  and 
chilled,  he  decided  to  warm  by  the  fire  of  an  acquaintance  in- 
stead of  returning  directly  to  Ilium  as  usual.  The  friend  was 
in  excellent  humor,  and  the  coals  glowing  in  the  open  grate 
never  looked  more  cheery.  Between  choice  Havanas  and 
pleasant  conversation  the  hours  slipped  by  unnoted.  Very 
late  he  rose  to  go,  and  taking  a  street-car,  was  soon  lost  in 
somnolent  reverie.  About  midway  on  the  road,  the  car  was 


III 


-~^Tx2- 


"The  broad  collar  of  an  overcoat  concealed  his  cheeks,  while  his  forehead 
and  eyes  were  buried  under  the  ample  brim  of  a  slouched  hat." 

detained  eight  or  ten  minutes  by  some  obstruction.  Mean- 
while an  up  car  came  to  a  halt  exactly  opposite,  so  that  the 
windows  of  the  two  were  nearly  vis-a-vis. 

Aroused  by  the  incident,  the  officer  mechanically  glanced  at 
the  interior  of  the  vehicle,  and  noticed  that  there  were  three 
passengers,  two  ladies  and  a  gentleman,  the  latter  seemingly 


THE    ASTHMATIC    OLD    MAN. 

in  delicate  health,  for  he  was  carefully  muffled  to  the  chin. 
As  nothing  in  the  appearance  of  either  invited  further  atten- 
tion, he  was  about  to  resume  his  nap,  when  the  gentleman  rose 
up  and  walked  to  the  door.  His  gait  and  manner  awakened 
into  full  activity  the  faculties  of  the  detective.  Where  and 
when  had  he  seen  the  man  before  ?  The  form  and  step  of  the 
stranger  suggested  something  familiar  and  disagreeable,  but 
for  a  moment  the  train  of  mental  associations  refused  to  con- 
nect the  person  with  the  name.  Meanwhile  the  muffled  figure 
walked  out  upon  the  platform,  and  straining  forward  to  dis- 
cover the  cause  of  the  delay,  came  under  the  full  glare  of  an 
adjacent  lamp.  The  light  fell  on  a  pale  complexion,  re- 
lieved on  the  right  cheek  by  a  spot  of  bright  crimson.  There 
could  be  no  mistake :  it  was  Paul  Atherton,  cunningly  dis- 
guised, but  at  length  discovered  in  a  new  r61e,  the  character 
and  scope  of  which  were  soon  to  be  developed. 

When  the  up  car  started,  it  had  received  an  accession  to  the 
list  of  passengers  in  the  shape  of  an  old  gentleman,  rather 
round  of  form,  but  apparently  feeble  in  health.  The  broad 
collar  of  an  overcoat  concealed  his  cheeks,  while  his  forehead 
and  eyes  were  buried  under  the  ample  brim  of  a  slouched  hat. 
An  occasional  wheeze,  alternating  with  a  cough,  fully  justi- 
fied the  precautions  taken  by  the  invalid  for  the  protection  of 
throat  and  lungs  against  the  raw  night  air.  The  occupants, 
however,  took  little  notice  of  the  asthmatic  or  of  each  other. 
Paul  was  too  much  self-absorbed  either  to  pity  the  infirmities 
or  to  consciously  observe  the  presence  of  a  poor  stranger.  By 
the  next  morning  very  likely,  the  episode  had  passed  wholly 
from  his  mind. 

When  the  car  reached  the  home  of  Mr.  Atherton,  that 
worthy  alighted,  and  a  short  distance  beyond,  the  old  gentle- 
man of  the  pulmonic  affection  did  the  same.  It  would  have 
astonished  his  traveling  companions  to  see  what  a  curative 
effect  the  open  air,  and  particularly  the  darkness  exerted  over 
the  malady.  Returning  to  the  customary  outlook,  he  saw 
Paul,  in  the  dim  light  from  a  distant  street-lamp,  stealthily 


172 


A    FALLEN    STAR. 


advance  up  the  walk,  and  pull  off  his  boots  on  the  stoop. 
The  door  was  then  cautiously  opened  by  means  of  a  night- 
key,  and  the  figure  disappeared. 

The  agent  returned  to  Ilium  with  a  light  heart,  and  slept 
soundly.  After  many  days  of  patient  effort,  he  at  length 
grasped  a  clue,  which  confirmed  his  suspicions  in  reference 
to  the  real  author  of  the  robberies,  and  which  would  probably 
soon  lead  to  more  mate- 
rial discoveries. 

The  next  morning  he 
called,  as  had  become 
his  habit,  at  the  Ather- 
ton  post-office,  and 
again  noticed  the  hag- 
gard look  of  the  gentle- 
manly assistant ;  but  the 
hieroglyphics  stamped 
upon  the  face  of  the 
debauchee  were  no  lon- 
ger unintelligible.  More 
clearly  than  ever  before 
the  keen  eye  of  the  de- 
tective saw  what  havoc 
dissipation  was  making 
with  the  health  of  the 
youth.  Already  his 
temples  were  furrowed 

by  lines  indicative  of  premature  decay.  After  exchanging 
the  compliments  of  the  day,  the  clerk  inquired,  in  a  slightly 
supercilious  tone,  "  By  the  way,  Mr.  S — ,  how  are  you  getting 
on  with  that  mail-contractor  ?  Don't  you  fellows  from  Wash- 
ington drive  rather  slow  coaches  ?  " 

"  A  great  deal  better  than  at  first,"  answered  the  agent.  "  I 
enjoy  the  country  about  here  hugely,  and  what  is  the  use  of 
hurrying  ?  Believe  I  have  gotten  about  to  the  bottom  of  the 


'The  door  was  then  cautiously  opened,  and 
the  figure  disappeared." 


QUEER    PROCEEDINGS, 


173 

The  best  of 


thing,  though,  and  shall   have  to  leave  soon, 
friends  must  part,  you  know." 

"We  shall  be  sorry  to  spare  you,"  said  Paul,  with  a  slight 
smack  of  irony. 

That  evening  the  detective  left  Ilium  much  later  than  usual, 
not  caring  to  witness  a  repetition  of  the  preliminary  farce.  It 
was  past  nine  o'clock,  and  the  light  was  extinguished  in  the 
front  chamber  when  he  reached  the  house  of  the  deacon.  He 


•'By  the  way,  Mr.  S— ,  how  are  you  getting  on  with  that  mail  contractor? 
Don't  you  fellows  from  "Washington  cirivo  rather  slow  coaches  ?  " 

was  compelled  to  wait  so  long,  however,  before  discovering 
signs  of  animation,  that  he  was  about  to  depart,  under  the  im- 
pression that  the  nocturnal  expeditions  of  the  inmate  took  place 
irregularly,  and  that  this  was  one  of  the  nights  devoted  to  rest. 
While  deliberating  on  the  propriety  of  bringing  the  vigil  to  a 
close,  the  sash  of  the  chamber-window  was  cautiously  raised. 
At  first  the  head,  and  then  half  the  body  of  the  occupant  pro- 
truded through  the  aperture.  He  seemed  to  peer  forth  into 


174 


A   FALLEN    STAR. 


the  darkness,  looking  up  and  down  the  street, 
sough  of  the  trees,  all  was  silent  and  deserted, 
he  do? 

"Through  the  green  forest  arch 
The  wild  winds  in  their  march 

Sigh  and  complain  ; 
The  torrent  on  the  hill 
Moans  to  the  midnight  chill, 

In  vain,  in  vain  !  " 


Except  the 
What  will 


"  The  youth  lowered  something  by  a  string,  closed  the  sash,  and  shortly 
after  emerged  from  the  front  door." 

The  youth  lowered  something  by  a  string,  closed  the  sash, 
and  shortly  after  emerged  from  the  front  door.  Stepping  to 
one  side,  he  picked  up  the  package,  which  proved  to  be  a 


PAUL    IN    QUESTIONABLE    COMPANY, 


pair  of  boots,  and  drew  them  on.  He  then  hurried  to  the  car. 
Meantime  the  detective,  disguised  so  completely  that  his  most 
intimate  friend  could  have  no  suspicion  of  his  identity,  secured 
a  place  on  the  platform  with  the  driver.  On  reaching  Ilium, 
Paul  alighted  at  a  cross  street  running  into  a  neighborhood 
that  had  a  weak  reputation  for  morality,  and  after  walking 


^  r  -r? 


'J 


"  The  asthmatic  old  gentleman  of  the  previous  night,  now  transformed 
into  a  somewhat  dilapidated  inebriate,  followed  closely." 

two  or  three  blocks,  turned  into  a  saloon.  A  few  yards  behind, 
unseen  and  unsuspected,  followed  the  agent  of  the  depart- 
ment. 

The  ante-room  of  the  establishment,  fitted  up  with  mirrors 
and  an  elaborate  display  of  cut  glass,   was'  used  as  a  bar. 


176 


A   FALLEN    STAR. 


Paul,  barely  nodding  to  the  proprietor,  passed  on  into  the 
brilliantly  lighted  apartment  beyond,  one  of  the  bucks  greet- 
ing him  with  the  salutation,  "How  goes  it,  dominie?"  Re- 
turning a  reply  in  kind,  the  new-comer  took  off  his  coat,  and 
was  soon  engaged  in  the  mysteries  of  french  carom. 

The  asthmatic  old  gentleman  of  the  previous  night,  now 
transformed  into  a  somewhat  dilapidated  inebriate,  followed 
so  closely  as  to  hear  the  salutations  extended  to  the  assistant 


"  The  new  arrival  staggered  into  the  billiard-parlor,  and  tumbled  Into  a 
seat  in  close  proximity  to  the  table  upon  which  Paul  was  playing." 

postmaster.  Passing  through  the  bar-room  unchallenged, 
though  conscious  that  an  evil  eye,  turned  sharply  upon  his 
seedy  habiliments,  was  taking  a  hasty  and  by  no  means  com- 
plimentary inventory  of  his  visible  assets,  with  the  view  of 
divining  the  probable  value  of  his  purse,  the  new  arrival  stag- 
gered into  the  billiard-parlor,  and  tumbled  into  a  seat  in  close 
proximity  to  the  table  upon  which  Paul  was  playing.  A 
drunkard  so  far -advanced  on  the  road  to  ruin,  was  a  novel 


THE    POWER   OF    MONEY.  177 

sight  in  those  gayly  decorated  apartments.  Many  started  here 
on  the  downward  career,  but,  with  the  loss  of  youth,  and 
money  and  decorous  dress,  they  descended  to  lower  resorts 
to  make  room  for  fresh  recruits  destined  in  turn  to  run  the  same 
round. 

The  proprietor  entered  with  the  evident  intention  of  ejecting 
the  seedy  stranger  as  a  loafer  who  had  lost  his  bearings.  At 
this  juncture  the  supposed  inebriate  dexterously  displayed  a 
roll  of  greenbacks,  with  the  figures  on  a  bill  of  large  denom- 
ination purposely  arranged  to  catch  the  eye.  The  mollifying 
effects  of  the  vision  were  instantly  apparent.  The  acerbity  on 
the  countenance  of  Cerberus  dissolved  in  a  gracious  smile, 
and,  with  a  courteous  nod,  he  passed  on. 

Unnoticed  by  the  gay  company,  the  tatterdemalion  found  in 
Mr.  Paul  Atherton  a  subject  for  absorbing  study.  Compelled 
as  he  often  was  by  the  exigencies  of  business  to  track  crim- 
inals through  the  dens  of  iniquity,  he  was  now  shocked  on 
listening  to  the  profanity,  mingled  with  obscene  jests,  that 
streamed  from  the  lips  of  the  imagined  exemplar  of  virtue. 
Not  content  with  ordinary  oaths,  the  youth  soared  upward  to 
the  most  audacious  heights  of  blasphemy. 

"  Swinish  gluttony 

Ne'er  looks  to  heaven  amidst  his  gorgeous  feast, 
But  with  besotted,  base  ingratitude 
Crams,  and  blasphemes  his  feeder." 

On  the  circle  where  the  moral  status  of  individuals  is  regis- 
tered, an  arc  of  infinite  length  seems  to  separate  the  leader 
of  the  prayer-meeting  from  the  habitue  of  the  gambling-den, 
but  Atherton  cleared  the  distance  at  a  leap.  Yet  in  neither 
place  was  he  at  home.  His  manner  was  constrained,  and  his 
oaths  unnatural.  In  which  situation  did  the  neophyte  in  de- 
bauchery act  the  more  hideous  part,  when  with  uplifted  hands 
he  invoked  the  Creator  in  the  presence  of  the  congregation, 
or  when  he  plunged  into  riotous  revelry  ?  King  Richard  an- 
swers the  question,  — 
12 


178  A   FALLEN    STAR. 

"And  thus  I  clothe  mj  naked  villany 
With  old  odd  ends,  stol'n  out  of  Holy  Writ, 
And  seem  a  saint  when  most  I  flay  the  devil" 

Happily,  hypocrisy  does  not  often  take  such  odious  shape. 

It  would  not  be  agreeable  to  the  writer,  or  profitable  to  the 
reader,  to  go  more  fully  into  the  particulars  of  the  midnight 
orgy,  except  to  mention  a  circumstance  which  has  a  most 
important  bearing  upon  the  fate  of  the  leading  character. 
After  playing  a  few  games  of  billiards  and  taking  several 
glasses  at  the  expense  of  his  companions,  Paul  called  for 
"  drinks  for  the  crowd,"  and  tendered  in  payment  a  five-dollar 
bill.  Not  to  be  outdone  in  generosity,  the  ragamuffin  ordered 
a  "bot'l  best  wine,"  handing  the  bar-tender  a  twenty-dollar 
greenback.  The  concocter  of  poisons  examined  carefully  the 
beautiful  specimen  of  engraving,  as  if  silently  questioning  the 
genuineness  of  the  article.  The  scrutiny,  however,  appeared 
to  be  satisfactory,  for  he  returned  fifteen  dollars  in  change, 
including  the  identical  bill  just  paid  to  him  by  Atherton. 
What  was  the  astonishment,  not  to  say  delight,  of  the  detec- 
tive to  recognize  the  familiar  outlines  of  a  note  which  he  had 
placed  in  a  decoy  two  days  before,  and  which  had  already 
been  the  silent  instrument  for  trapping  more  than  one  mail- 
robber  !  It  was  difficult  to  repress  his  excitement.  He  fon- 
dled the  treasure  as  a  mother  would  a  lost  child,  and,  when 
fully  satisfied  that  there  could  be  no  mistake,  deposited  the 
precious  scrap  of  evidence  in  a  safe  pocket. 

Till  that  moment,  though  the  letter  was  in  his  coat,  the 
detective  did  not  know  it  had  been  rifled.  This  singular  in- 
stance of  neglect  to  watch  closely  the  ventures  sent  forth  to  test 
the  honesty  of  the  assistant  postmaster  can  be  easily  explained. 
Having  failed  with  every  decoy,  he  was  about  ready  to  aban- 
don the  system  in  disgust  for  some  new  method,  when  he  mi  t 
Paul  on  the  street-car.  The  next  morning,  as  the  confiden- 
tial clerk  at  Ilium  handed  him  the  last  lot  which  had  been 
duly  intercepted,  and  which  on  close  examination  of  the  exte- 
rior bore  no  mark  of  treacherous  handling,  the  agent,  pre- 


AN    UNEXPECTED    DISCOVERY. 


179 


occupied  with  the  discovery  of  the  previous  night,  slipped  the 
package  into  a  side-pocket  unopened.  The  discovery  was  the 
more  startling  because  entirely  unexpected. 

During  the  rest  of  the  evening  the  detective  watched  the 
various  proceedings  with  the  satisfaction  of  a  hunter  who, 
after  a  long  and  troublesome  chase,  holds  the  game  so  com- 
pletely in  his  power  that  he  can  bring  it  to  the  ground  at  any 
moment. 


"  Not  to  be  outdone,  the  ragamuffin  ordered  a  '  botl  best  wine.9 " 

It  was  long  past  midnight  when  the  company  broke  up. 
Finally,  adieux  were  exchanged,  and  the  revelers  prepared  to 
disperse.  As  Paul  pushed  by  the  toper,  he  gave  as  parting 
salute,  "  Come,  old  shoojer,  mizzle  ;  "  and  the  party  addressed, 
wonderfully  clear-headed  and  sober,  considering  his  unprom- 
ising aspect,  w  mizzled." 

On  repairing  to  the  post-office  the  next  morning,  the  detective 
found  Paul  alone.  Instead  of  replying  to  the  customary  greeting 
of  the  clerk,  he  entered  the  room  without  the  slightest  sign  of 


l8o  A   FALLEN    STAR. 

recognition,  and,  taking  a  seat  near  by,  fastened  upon  him 
his  searching,  black  eye.  Without  a  word  he  maintained  the 
steady  and  terrific  glare  for  several  minutes  in  conformity  with 
a  plan  of  action  predetermined  with  the  view  of  paving  the 
way  for  the  final  catastrophe,  as  surgeons  by  a  course  of  pre- 
liminary medication  prepare  the  systems  of  patients  to  meet 
the  shock  of  capital  operations. 

The  quick,  alternating  flashes  of  scarlet  and  white  in  the 
scar  upon  the  cheek,  showed  that  the  guilty  heart  was  throb- 
bing with  unwonted  violence.  Chilled  to  the  marrow  by  that 
freezing  stare,  the  clerk  could  bear  the  torture  no  longer. 
With  half  averted  face,  he  advanced  a  step  or  two,  and 
tremblingly  inquired,  "What,  in  the  name  of  God,  is  the 
matter?" 

Adding,  if  possible,  a  still  deeper  intensity  to  the  earnest- 
ness of  his  look,  and,  raising  his  hand  solemnly,  the  officer 
replied,  "You  are  a  bad  man,  Paul  Atherton,  and  you  know 
that  I  know  it." 

"A  bad  man!"  rejoined  the  clerk.  "You  talk  in  riddles ; 
I  do  not  comprehend  you  ;  I  cannot  tell  what  you  mean." 

"You  are  a  deceiver  —  a  thief!  You  are  leading  a  double 
life.  I  have  tracked  you  through  all  your  crooked  paths  and 
wicked  courses.  I  have  followed  you  into  the  bar-room  and 
into  the  gambling-hell.  I  have  listened  in  astonishment  and 
horror  to  your  oaths  and  obscenity.  What  is  more,  I  have  in 
my  pocket  at  this  moment  money  stolen  by  you  from  the  mails. 
Your  brazen  hypocrisy  is  the  most  damning  sin  of  all." 

The  clerk  attempted  to  bristle  with  righteous  indignation, 
but  failed  lamentably.  Still,  with  a  faint  assumption  of  self- 
assurance,  he  answered,  "It  is  false!  You  are  cruelly  slan- 
dering a  Christian  gentleman." 

Not  wishing  to  extemporize  a  scene  in  so  public  a  place,  the 
agent  invited  Paul  to  step  across  the  way  to  a  private  room  in 
the  hotel,  leaving  the  postmaster,  who  had  just  entered,  in 
charge  of  the  office.  The  walk  in  the  fresh  air  seemed  to 
revive  temporarily  the  courage  of  the  accused,  for,  on  reach- 


PAUL  TRIES    THE    BLUFF    GAME, 


181 


ing  the  apartment,  he  broke  out,  loudly  and  defiantly,  w  Who- 
ever says  I  am  a  thief  tells  an  infernal  lie  ! " 

"I  say  you  are  a  thief!"  replied  the  officer,  in  a  voice  of 
thunder.  "I  repeat  it,  and  am  prepared  to  substantiate  the 
charge." 

Instantly  changing  his  whole  demeanor,  the  clerk  implor- 
ingly said,  "  Please  do  not  speak  so  loudly." 

"Suit  yourself,"  answered  the  imperturbable  man,  who  held 


"  'I  say  you  are  a  thief! '  replied  the  officer,  in  a  voice  of  thunder." 

the  writhing  victim  in  a  gripe  of  steel.  "  I  am  equally  ready 
to  talk  in  thunder  tones  or  in  whispers."  He  saw  already  that 
the  outworks  of  the  enemy  were  carried,  and  that  a  few  more 
vigorous  blows  would  demolish  the  innermost  defences. 

The  two  took  seats,  when  the  detective,  carefully  watching 
the  effect,  threw  out  such  hints  as  he  thought  advisable  to 
show  the  misguided  youth  the  extensive  and  thorough  knowl- 
edge he  possessed  of  the  habits  and  practices  of  this  particular 
specimen  of  the  "  Christian  gentleman."  Definitely  as  the 


l82  A   FALLEN    STAR. 

facts  were  pressed  home,  the  clerk  continued  to  protest  his 
innocence,  though  with  gradually  weakening  emphasis. 

"Well,  then,"  said  the  officer,  "if  you  are  determined  to 
persist  in  your  chosen  policy  of  falsehood  and  hypocrisy, 
you  must  go  with  me  to  Ilium  to  answer  before  a  United 
States  commissioner.  You  will  then  pass  out  of  my  hands 
into  the  custody  of  the  marshal,  and  will  have  no  further 
opportunity  to  ease  your  conscience  or  improve  your  sad  con- 
dition by  communicating  the  truth  to  me.  I  shall  wash  my 
hands  of  you  except  as  witness  and  prosecutor." 

"I  have  nothing  to  confess,"  replied  the  dissembler;  "my 
heart  is  pure,  my  record  clean." 

"Come,  then,"  said  the  agent;  "it  is  needless  to  waste 
further  time  here." 

They  entered  a  street-car,  and  in  a  few  minutes  were  on  the 
way  to  Ilium. 

We  must  now  go  back  a  little  in  our  narrative.  A  short 
time  before,  a  registered  letter  from  Philadelphia,  Pennsylva- 
nia, containing  fifty-five  dollars,  and  addressed  to  a  wealthy 
lady  of  Atherton,  failed  to  reach  her.  The  return  letter- 
receipt  was  sent  back  to  the  remitter,  bearing  the  forged 
signature  of  the  person  to  whom  it  should  have  been  de- 
livered. Not  receiving  the  money  at  the  appointed  time, 
she  wrote  to  her  correspondent,  and  learned  by  return 
mail  of  the  loss  and  the  forgery.  She  sent  the  papers  to  the 
department,  and  requested  to  have  the  matter  investigated, 
little  dreaming  how  near  home  the  blow  would  fall.  The 
case  was  promptly  forwarded  to  Mr.  Sharretts,  and  had  now 
been  in  his  hands  a  couple  of  days.  During  the  interval  he 
had  studied  the  forged  signature  with  the  closest  attention, 
and,  although  the  writing  was  cleverly  disguised,  he  rec- 
ognized the  characteristic  chirography  of  Paul  Atherton. 

When  half-way  to  Ilium,  after  various  conversations  with 
the  prisoner,  the  detective,  for  the  first  time  in  the  excitement 
attendant  on  the  arrest,  recalling  to  mind  the  possession  of 
the  forged  receipt,  drew  it  deliberately  from  his  pocket,  and 


A  CONFESSION   AT   LAST.  183 

continued,  "You  have  denied  stealing  letters  from  the  mail. 
Do  you  dare,  sir,  to  deny  signing  that  paper?"  At  the  same 
time  he  spread  it  out  ominously  before  him. 

The  self-convicted  wretch  writhed  and  wilted  as  if  the  dread 
vision  had  suddenly  converted  his  vertebral  column  from  bone 
to  jelly.  Partially  recovering  from  the  shock,  he  remarked 
with  the  softness  of  childhood,  "  Let  us  get  out." 

On  the  bare  roadside   the   signal-bell  was   rung,  and  the 


'•  I  am  guilty,  O  God,  how  guilty ;  let  me  die  here ! " 

two  alighted.  As  the  car  passed  from  sight  around  the  next 
curve,  the  assistant  postmaster  dropped  on  his  knees.  With 
clasped  hands  and  upturned  eyes  he  ejaculated,  as  if  from  a 
broken  heart,  "I  am  guilty,  O  God,  how  guilty;  let  me  die 
here  ! " 

The  agony  of  the  conscience-stricken  youth  was  terrible  to 
witness.  Tears  from  fountains  long  parched  chased  each 
other  down  his  cheeks,  while  the  scar  flashed  and  flickered 


184  A   FALLEN    STAR. 

like  the  coruscations  of  northern  lights.  At  length  the  special 
agent  raised  the  crushed  and  helpless  form  from  the  ground. 
Having,  after  a  long  struggle,  won  the  victory,  at  the 
moment  alike  of  sadness  and  of  triumph,  he  gave  way 
himself  to  the  weakness  of  our  common  humanity.  Pro- 
fessionally, the  officer  could  hardly  fail  to  experience  satis- 
faction at  bringing  the  obstinately  contested  investigation  to 
a  successful  close,  yet  at  the  same  time  he  was  deeply 
touched  at  the  ruin  which  shattered  like  a  thunderbolt  the 
happiness  and  the  hopes  of  a  life  that  opened  with  fairest 
promise  under  brightest  skies. 

From  that  moment  the  manner  of  Paul  Atherton  was 
entirely  changed.  The  mask  of  hypocrisy  and  falsehood 
dropped  off,  never,  we  may  trust,  to  be  resumed.  Sorrow 
for  the  crimes  committed  weighed  upon  the  contrite  heart 
far  more  heavily  than  the  disgrace  of  exposure.  Evasions 
and  concealments  were  at  an  end.  The  light  and  the  voice 
from  heaven  hardly  wrought  a  greater  change  in  the  aims 
of  Saul  of  Tarsus,  than  the  inward  revelations  of  that  hour 
effected  in  the  conduct  of  Paul  Atherton.  Thenceforward  he 
told  the  simple  truth,  declining  to  palliate  in  the  least  the 
enormity  of  his  offenses,  or  to  profit  by  the  willing  prevari- 
cations of  others. 

The  next  car  took  them  home,  and  they  returned  in  full 
concord  to  the  private  room  in  the  hotel,  which  they  had 
lately  left  amid  vehement  criminations  and  no  less  vehement 
denials.  No  sooner  were  they  seated,  than  the  penitent  thief 
proceeded  to  detail  minutely  the  causes  and  circumstances 
of  his  fall.  Painful  as  the  story  was,  he  found  obvious  re- 
lief in  the  recital.  The  tale,  in  brief,  ran  thus  :  — 

"I  commenced  stealing  about  two  years  ago.  What  you 
saw  the  other  night  at  Ilium  will  suggest  the  character  of 
the  temptations  that  first  led  me  astray.  In  an  evil  hour  I 
fell  in  with  bad  company,  and  almost  before  suspecting  the 
danger,  was,  by  my  own  weakness  and  folly,  hurled  down 
the  abyss.  The  strange  scenes  to  which  I  was  now  intro- 


THE  TORTURES  OF  REMORSE. 


""":':' "i''"'         "  ' 


duced  fascinated  while  they  appalled  me.  In  moments  of 
calm  reflection  I  was  horrified  at  my  wickedness,  and  many 
times  I  have  wondered  at  the  forbearance  of  God  in  not 
striking  me  dead  for  my  sins.  Among  my  neighbors,  as 
you  know.  I  kept  up  a  hollow  show  of  piety,  but  the  mock- 
ery seemed  like  the  grinning  skeleton  of  my  former  self,  and 
sometimes  almost  drove  me  mad. 

"  Bad  company  brought  ex- 
pensive habits.  The  demands 
on  my  purse  were  incessant 
and  pressing.  With  the  ex- 
haustion of  resources  came 
the  temptation  to  rob.  For 
some  weeks  I  resisted  ;  but  at 
length,  driven  to  desperation 
by  the  pressure  for  money, 
with  trembling  hands  and 
throbbing  pulse  I  broke  the 
seal  of  a  letter  that  did  not 
belong  to  me !  It  was  a 
moment  of  terror.  Even  the  pictures  on  the  wall  appeared 
to  frown  upon  me  with  indignant  scorn.  When  I  sallied 
forth  to  find  relief  from  the  stings  of  conscience  in  the  bustle 
of  the  street,  I  seemed  to  read  my  sentence  in  the  looks  of 
every  person  that  I  met.  Trees  pointed  at  me.  Clouds 
scowled  upon  me.  Man  and  nature  joined  in  pronouncing 
sentence  of  condemnation,  none  the  less  dreadful  because 
rendered  in  silence.  I  sought  forgetfulness  by  plunging 
into  wilder  dissipations.  Vain  search  !  Increasing  necessi- 
ties drove  me  to  frequent  robberies.  Sometimes  I  resolved 
to  break  away  from  evil  company  and  to  give  up  my  wicked 
practices,  but  a  power  that  I  could  not  resist  urged  me  on. 
Yet  this  show  of  pleasure  has  brought  me  nothing  but 
pain.  Tongue  cannot  tell  the  prolonged  agony  of  the  last 
two  years.  At  this  moment,  with  exposure,  disgrace,  and 
imprisonment  before  me,  I  feel  easier  than  I  have  felt  before 


Paul  opening  letters. 


i86 


A   FALLEN    STAR. 


since  the  commission  of  that  first  crime.  The  suspense  is 
over,  the  crisis  past.  I  know  where  I  stand,  even  if  shackles 
bind  my  feet." 

Meantime,  the  penitent  had  risen  from  his  seat,  and,  pacing 
up  and  down  the  room  with  arms  folded  behind  his  back, 
gave  utterance  to  his  impassioned  feelings.  The  officer 
listened  with  earnest  sympathy,  well  knowing  that  the  frank- 
ness of  the  confession  and  the  sincerity  of  the  contrition 
offered  the  best  assurance  that  a  character  even  so  sadly 
blackened  as  this  might  yet  be  redeemed.  As  the  young 
man  grew  gradually  calmer,  the  genuine  esprit  de  corps 
resumed  sway  over  the  thoughts  of  the  detective.  There 
were  singular  features  connected  with  the  robberies  which 
he  wished  to  have  explained,  and  no  time  seemed  likely  to  be 
more  favorable  than  the  present  for  pressing  the  inquiry.  He 
accordingly  interpolated  a  remark  with  the  view  of  turning 
the  confession  from  generals  to  particulars.  "Paul,  I  rejoice 
that  you  have  spoken  the  truth.  When  a  criminal  does  that 
in  the  right  spirit,  he  is  already  half  reclaimed.  If  you  are 
willing  to  respond,  I  should  like  to  ask  a  few  questions." 

"Go  on.  Ask  me  anything,"  replied  the  clerk;  "to  the 
best  of  my  ability,  I  will  answer  truthfully." 

"I  have  sent  scores  of  decoys  through  the  office  here," 
resumed  the  detective,  "and  you  never  molested  but  one.  I 
thought  no  confirmed  thief  could  withstand  the  temptation. 
How  and  why  did  you  avoid  them  ? " 

"That  question  is  easily  answered,  sir.  I  confined  my 
depredations  exclusively  to  a  few  persons  or  firms,  never 
deviating  from  the  rule  except  in  two  or  three  instances.  No 
matter  what  other  parties  might  inclose,  their  letters  passed 
through  untouched.  In  the  selection  of  victims  I  was  gov- 
erned by  two  considerations.  I  picked  out  those  who  re- 
mitted a  good  deal  of  money  by  mail,  and  who  I  knew  would 
not  be  likely  to  make  much  fuss  about  losses." 

"Why,  then,  did  you  open  my  letter  addressed  to  Mr. 
Blank,  at  Pottsville,  Pennsylvania?" 


HOW    THE    THEFTS    WERE    ACCOMPLISHED.  187 

"The  handwriting  deceived  me.  I  thought  it  was  from 
Mr.  Allen,  and  was  the  more  easily  led  astray  as  I  happened 
to  know  that  his  occasional  correspondent,  Mr.  Blank,  was  at 
the  time  in  Pottsville.  After  resealing  and  sending  it  for- 
ward, I  had  a  presentiment  of  trouble  from  that  letter  —  felt 
that  I  had  made  a  mistake,  and  was  relieved  when  the  five- 
dollar  note  passed  out  of  my  possession." 

"Then  you  never  molested  letters  addressed  in  an  unfa- 
miliar hand?" 

"No,  never.  You  see  I  have  lived  here  all  my  life,  and 
have  been  in  the  post-office  for  many  years.  I  know  all  the 
people,  and  am  pretty  well  acquainted  with  their  business  and 
their  habits.  I  thought  I  was  safe  beyond  the  possibility  of 
detection." 

"  When  and  where  did  you  find  opportunity  for  doing  this 
peculiar  work  ?  " 

"  I  took  the  letters  home  with  me  at  night,  and  opened  them 
in  my  room.  I  became  very  skillful  at  it,  seldom  leaving  the 
slightest  trace  of  the  job.  After  abstracting  the  money,  I 
returned  the  rest  of  the  inclosure,  and  carefully  resealing  the 
envelope,  sent  it  forward  the  next  morning.  When,  as  some- 
times happened,  I  mutilated  an  envelope  in  the  process,  I 
destroyed  it." 

"  How  about  the  forged  return  registered-letter  receipt?  " 

"Well,  that  was  one  of  the  exceptional  cases  alluded  to. 
When  the  letter  came,  I  was  in  terrible  straits  for  money,  and, 
believing  that  Mrs.  L.  would  make  no  serious  complaint,  in  a 
moment  of  madness,  I  resolved  to  steal  the  contents.  As  the 
package  was  known  to  have  reached  our  office,  the  forgery 
followed  as  a  necessity." 

"Paul,  how  much  money  do  you  suppose  you  have  taken 
during  the  entire  period  covered  by  these  depredations  ?  " 

"  That  is  a  hard  question  to  answer.  I  have  kept  no  ac- 
count, but  I  must  have  taken  hundreds  of  dollars,  and  now  I 
am  penniless.  My  vices  have  stripped  me  of  everything, — 
home,  reputation,  friends,  liberty.  That  I  should  survive  the 


l88  A   FALLEN    STAR. 

wreck  of  all  that  makes  life  worth  having  !  When  I  first  took 
money  from  letters,  it  seemed  as  though  every  one  I  met 
looked  upon  me  with  suspicion.  Companionship  with  the 
good  and  pure  was  a  positive  torture,  and  to  drown  remorse 
was  almost  my  only  thought.  Once  in  the  whirlpool  of  dis- 
sipation, demands  for  money  constantly  increased.  I  could 
not  stop.  Fearful  of  detection,  yet  powerless  to  withdraw 
from  my  disreputable  course,  I  plunged  madly  on,  hoping 
against  hope,  taking  only  those  precautions  against  discovery 
which  at  first  occurred  to  me,  until  now  I  find  myself  a 
wretched  criminal,  with  nothing  to  look  forward  to  but  prison- 
walls  and  life-long  shame.  O,  my  God,  my  God  !  why  am  I 
brought  to  this?" 

Feeling  that  the  wretched  youth  had  suffered  enough  for 
one  day,  the  special  agent,  with  the  view  of  diverting  his 
thoughts  from  the  remorseful  channel  into  which  they  had 
drifted,  inquired  about  the  midnight  performance  in  the  cham- 
ber-window. "What  was  your  object  in  lowering  your  boots 
by  a  string  ?  " 

"O,"  answered  the  clerk,  with  a  feeble  smile,  "I  always 
did  that,  going  through  the  hall  in  my  stockings.  Then,  in 
case  I  happened  to  meet  any  one  in  the  passage,  I  could  say, 
f  I  heard  a  noise  at  the  door,  and  was  going  down  to  see  what 
was  the  matter.' " 

"With  a  pair  of  boots  in  one's  hand,  that  explanation 
would  hardly  pass  muster." 

In  this  vein  the  conversation  continued  till  the  officer 
learned  the  history  of  the  robberies.  The  postmaster  was 
then  sent  for,  and  made  acquainted  with  the  facts.  He,  in 
common  with  the  rest  of  the  community,  was  astonished  be- 
yond measure  at  the  developments.  Many  would  have  ques- 
tioned the  statements  of  a  detective,  but  Paul  Atherton  man- 
fully refused  to  profit  by  the  kind  incredulity  of  the  public. 
Although  numerous  friends  tried  to  interpose  in  his  behalf, 
not  many  days  after,  the  trial  took  place.  The  scene  in  the 
court-room  was  one  of  peculiar  solemnity.  Relatives  and 


STATE    PRISON    FOR    TEN    YEARS. 


189 


friends  were  there  to  encourage  and  uphold  one  in  whom 
they  had  so  implicitly  trusted  for  many  years.  Willingly 
would  the  good  Athertonians  have  made  up  the  losses,  could 
the  fair  name  of  their  beloved  town  have  been  shielded  from 
the  taint.  Even  the  good,  conscientious  lady,  who  lost  the 
fifty-five  dollars,  wanted  to  testify  that  her  memory  was  very 


"  Guilty,  or  not  guilty  P  "  —  "  GuUty,  very  guilty." 

poor ;  that  she  might  have  received  the  money,  and  might 
have  signed  the  receipt.  To  all  such  suggestions,  however, 
the  prisoner  turned  a  deaf  ear.  When  arraigned  at  the  bar 
of  justice,  he  declined  to  be  defended,  and,  in  answer  to  the 
question,  "Guilty,  or  not  guilty?"  responded,  humbly  but 


19°  A   FALLEN    STAR. 

firmly,  "Guilty,  very  guilty."  Ah,  that  was  a  noble  triumph 
for  you,  Paul  Atherton,  when,  in  the  face  of  humiliation  and 
imprisonment,  you  resolved  to  cling  to  the  truth  for  the  sake 
of  the  truth.  Gyves  do  not  cut  so  deeply  as  falsehood.  All 
possibilities  of  future  usefulness,  honor,  and  character  await 
even  the  convict  who  builds  anew  upon  the  bed-rock  of  truth. 
Paul  was  sentenced  to  a  term,  of  ten  years'  imprisonment ; 
but,  after  the  lapse  of  about  two  years,  was  pardoned  by  the 
President  for  good  behavior. 


N  the  month  of  October, 
1871,  special  agent  John  B. 
Furay,  under  instructions 
from  the  superintendent  of 
the  Money  Order  Bureau, 
visited  a  small  office  in  an 
outlying  settlement  of  Col- 
orado, and,  after  a  hard 
struggle,  collected  from  an 
impecunious  postmaster  and 
his  sureties  about  two  thou- 
sand dollars  of  government 
funds,  which  had  been  im- 
properly withheld  for  private 
use.  Loaded  with  nearly  all 
the  money  in  the  place,  he 
took  the  stage  across  the 
mountains  in  a  fearful  snow- 
storm, reaching  Denver  on 

"In  suddenness  and  fury,  the  storm  sur-     .          ^  ,         _,  . 

passed  the  tropical  cyclone."  the  2Oth.       1  hat  night,  Judge 

H.  P.  Bennett,  a  prominent 

citizen  of  the  territory,  gave  him  the  details  of  a  case  in 
which  he  took  a  deep  personal  interest,  and  which  he  was 
very  anxious  to  have  him  investigate.  On  the  evening  of 
July  2ist,  a  burglar  entered  the  post-office  at  Fair  Play,  Col- 


KINDLING    FALSE   FIRES. 

orado,  and  took  a  registered  package  containing  sixty-six 
ounces  of  gold  dust  and  a  quantity  of  currency,  valued  in  all 
at  twelve  hundred  and  sixty  dollars. 

The  papers  relating  to  the  case  were  in  the  hands  of  special 
agent  Dramful,  who  had  visited  Fair  Play  on  the  business,  as 
had  also  one  or  two  professional  detectives  employed  by  the 
owners  of  the  stolen  property.  All  concluded  that  the  crime 
must  have  been  committed  "by  one  of  three  men,  but  which 
one  there  was  nothing  to  show."  This  inconsequential  deduc- 
tion proved  extremely  unsatisfactory  to  the  sufferers.  Both 
on  personal  grounds  and  as  a  matter  of  public  policy,  they 
desired  to  have  the  matter  sifted  to  the  bottom.  If  the  per- 
petrator of  so  aggravated  a  crime  was  permitted  to  escape 
undetected  and  unpunished,  great  encouragement  would  be 
given  to  the  repetition  of  similar  outrages,  and  the  use  of  the 
mails  for  the  transmission  of  valuables,  so  vital  to  the  pros- 
perity of  the  frontier,  must  come  to  an  end. 

An  official  of  the  department  from  Washington,  who  hap- 
pened to  be  in  Denver,  joined  Judge  Bennett  in  urging  Mr. 
Furay  to  go  to  Fair  Play  to  see  if  the  cloud  overhanging  the 
facts  of  the  burglary  was  really  so  thick  that  no  ray  of  light 
could  penetrate  the  gloom.  Other  hope  of  discovery  had 
failed.  Dramful  did  not  possess  the  ability  to  work  the  case 
to  a  successful  issue.  Besides,  he  was  then  in  New  Mexico, 
"bucking"  at  Spanish  monte,  and  taking  an  occasional  drink 
at  odd  intervals  between  the  half  hours.  What  was  still 
worse,  in  view  of  the  present  emergency,  he  had  the  papers 
with  him,  thus  compelling  Mr.  Furay,  if  he  undertook  the 
task,  to  gather  up  the  threads  of  evidence  anew.  Yet,  not- 
withstanding the  complication  of  difficulties,  a  sense  of  duty 
impelled  him  onward  with  such  force  that  he  did  not  feel  at 
liberty  to  decline. 

About  twenty  inches  of  snow  then  lay  upon  the  ground, 
and  a  storm  was  prevailing.  It  was  ninety-five  miles  over 
the  mountains  to  Fair  Play.  For  three  weeks  the  agent  had 
not  heard  a  word  from  the  mother  of  his  children,  and  not 


GOLD  DUST  AND  CURRENCY.  193 

expecting  to  be  so  long  absent,  was  running  low  in  cash. 
Then,  too,  the  chances  were  that  Dramful  and  the  detectives, 
besides  making  no  original  discoveries,  had  actually  ruined  the 
case.  Judge  Bennett,  however,  volunteered  to  remedy  the 
least  of  the  difficulties,  loaning  the  officer  fifty  dollars,  and, 
what  proved  much  more  valuable  in  the  end,  a  heavy  over- 
coat. The  next  morning  at  six  that  worthy  gentleman  bade 
him  a  hearty  Godspeed  as  he  set  forth  incognito  on  the  doubt- 
ful expedition. 

After  traveling  all  day  and  all  night,  the  hack  drove  into 
Fair  Play  about  daybreak  the  next  morning.  Having  slept  a 
couple  of  hours  and  taken  breakfast,  the  detective  began  to 
move  cautiously  about  town,  and  soon  learned  the  superficial 
facts  connected  with  the  burglary  and  the  subsequent  investi- 
gations, which  were  already  well  known  throughout  that 
region. 

The  stolen  package  was  mailed  at  Oro  City — a  mining 
settlement  about  thirty  miles  west  of  Fair  Play,  on  the  oppo- 
site side  of  Mount  Lincoln,  the  "divide"  of  the  Arkansas  and 
Platte  rivers  lying  between.  It  reached  Fair  Play  on  the 
afternoon  of  July  2ist,  and  was  duly  delivered  at  the  post- 
office,  then  kept  in  the  store  of  Mr.  A.  M.  Jaynes,  who, 
though  merely  a  deputy,  had  entire  charge  of  the  business. 
Wells,  Fargo  &  Co.  occupied  a  room  in  the  same  building, 
Mr.  William  H.  Beery  being  their  agent.  Some  time  before 
Mr.  Jaynes  had  employed  as  clerk  a  young  man  named  Perry, 
whose  subsequent  relations  with  the  deputy  continued  to  be 
intimate,  though  on  his  frequent  visits  he  never  presumed  to 
handle  the  mails. 

On  the  2ist  the  carrier  rode  up  at  the  usual  hour,  and,  as 
often  happened  during  the  active  months  for  mining,  brought 
among  the  registers  one  w  gold  package "  addressed  to  the 
postmaster  at  Denver.  It  was  dated  Oro  City,  July  2Oth,  and 
numbered  "8."  While  Jaynes  was  distributing  the  contents 
of  the  pouch,  Beery,  as  was  his  custom,  walked  around  be- 
hind the  cases,  and  inquired  if  there  was  anything  for  him. 
13 


194  KINDLING    FALSE    FIRES. 

A  letter  was  handed  to  him,  when  he  turned  to  withdraw.  In 
passing  a  table  which  stood  behind  the  deputy,  who  was  very 
busy  at  the  moment,  and  did  not  look  around  at  the  question, 
Beery  remarked,  interrogatively,  "  Hello  !  another  gold  pack- 
age from  Oro  to-day  ?  " 

"Yes,"  replied  Jaynes,  without  stopping,  "and  a  big  one, 
too." 

Beery  walked  away  to  another  part  of  the  building,  and 
nothing  more  was  said. 

Having  at  the  proper  time  entered  a  description  of  the  pack- 
age on  the  transit-sheet,  the  deputy  laid  it  with  the  others  on 
a  little  shelf  under  the  delivery  wicket,  as  was  his  habit. 
Beery  went  out  soon  after,  to  make  preparations  for  an  enter- 
tainment to  be  given  at  his  house  that  evening.  Among  the 
invited  guests  were  Jaynes  and  Perry.  At  dusk,  the  deputy- 
postmaster,  having  donned  holiday  attire  and  locked  the  store, 
sauntered  over  to  the  shop  of  his  friend  Perry,  whence  they 
proceeded  together  to  the  house  of  the  host.  The  company 
dropped  in  one  by  one,  and  were  soon  engrossed  with  the  fes- 
tivities of  the  occasion. 

As  supper  was  about  to  be  announced,  Beery  suddenly  re- 
membered that  the  fruit  had  been  forgotten.  Explaining  the 
situation  to  one  or  two  of  the  party,  he  took  a  basket  and  hur- 
ried out,  going  by  the  post-office  and  two  other  stores,  to  a 
small  stand  on  the  outskirts,  where  the  needful  purchases 
were  made.  It  appeared  from  the  statement  of  the  shop- 
keeper that  he  was  in  great  haste,  as  "the  company  were 
waiting."  The  entire  absence  of  the  host  barely  exceeded 
ten  minutes. 

After  an  agreeable  evening,  the  gathering  broke  up  about 
half  past  ten  o'clock.  Being  single,  Jaynes  slept  at  the  store, 
and  thither  he  now  returned.  As  the  carrier  started  early  in 
the  morning,  he  habitually  made  up  the  outgoing  mail  the 
evening  before ;  and  this  customary  duty  he  proceeded  to  per- 
form by  the  light  of  a  candle.  Having  assorted  and  tied  up 
the  ordinary  letters,  and  made  out  bills  from  the  transit-sheet 


"  NO.    8   FROM    ORO    CITY." 

for  the  registered  matter,  he  discovered,  on  comparing  the 
packages  with  the  record,  that  No.  8  from  Oro  City  was  gone. 
Looking  around,  he  observed  for  the  first  time,  as  he  claimed, 
that  the  window  on  the  east  side  of  the  store  was  partially 
raised.  For  a  few  minutes  he  hunted  for  the  package  alone, 
and  failing  to  find  it,  ran  in  evident  alarm  to  the  house  of 
Beery  to  seek  his  advice  and  assistance. 

Beery  returned  to  the  store  with  the  deputy,  and  in  a  short 
time  half  the  village  were  there,  for  the  news  spread  like 
fire  on  a  prairie.  The  facts  so  far  as  narrated  came  out  at 
once,  and  earnest  discussions  were  held  that  night  in  refer- 
ence to  the  probable  burglar.  The  next  morning  the  excite- 
ment was  at  fever  heat,  the  community  being  split  into  three 
factions,  which  believed  respectively  in  the  guilt  of  Jaynes, 
Beery,  and  Perry,  with  the  preponderance  of  suspicion 
greatly  against  Jaynes,  on  the  ground  chiefly  that  he  had 
much  greater  facilities  than  the  others  for  the  commission  of 
the  crime. 

Word  was  sent  to  the  postmaster  at  Oro  City,  who  was  also 
a  local  capitalist  and  the  remitter  of  the  principal  part  of  the 
stolen  gold.  He  came  at  once,  arriving  on  Sunday,  and, 
after  examining  the  field,  concluded  that  the  deputy  was  the 
thief,  and  expressed  his  convictions  with  no  little  earnestness 
and  emphasis. 

Aggressive  proceedings  were  begun  by  Jaynes,  who  swore 
out  a  search-warrant  against  Beery  on  Monday  morning.  In 
exploring  his  premises,  the  officer  found  in  the  stable  a  piece 
of  cotton  twine  and  a  scrap  of  the  New  York  Tribune,  each 
having  fragments  of  wax  adhering  to  them,  and  both  having 
obviously  been  torn  from  the  stolen  package.  Thereupon  the 
adherents  of  Beery  contended  that  the  discovery  proved  noth- 
ing, as  Jaynes  undoubtedly  placed  the  wrappings  there  before 
procuring  the  warrant,  for  the  purpose  of  misleading  the  pub- 
lic by  implicating  an  innocent  party. 

Not  to  be  outdone  in  zeal,  Beery  also  swore  out  a  similar 
warrant  against  Jaynes ;  and  the  sheriff,  with  a  posse  includ- 


196  KINDLING    FALSE    FIRES. 

ing  both  Beery  and  Perry,  proceeded  to  the  post-office  building 
to  search  the  premises.  Before  beginning  the  work,  Beery 
proposed  that  the  party  should  severally  examine  the  clothing 
of  each  other,  to  preclude  the  possibility  of  repeating  the  trick 
which  he  claimed  had  been  tried  against  him.  This  was 
accordingly  done.  While  several  of  the  party  explored  the 
rooms  above,  Beery,  Perry,  and  the  sheriff  searched  the 
cellar,  Beery,  with  coat  off,  going  down  first  through  a  small 
trap-door  in  the  middle  of  the  floor.  The  place  was  dark  and 
dingy,  full  of  boxes  and  other  trash.  After  the  hunt  had  con- 
tinued perhaps  half  an  hour,  the  sheriff  found  in  a  barrel, 
partly  filled  with  old  iron,  registered  package  envelope  No.  8, 
somewhat  crumpled,  and  lying  loose  on  top  of  the  other  con- 
tents. The  explorers  returned  to  upper  daylight  to  exhibit 
the  trophy  in  triumph.  A  scene  of  excitement  followed  that 
can  only  be  witnessed  in  a  small  mining  town  on  the 
frontier. 

Other  business  was  dropped  to  discuss  the  robbery,  and  the 
prospect  looked  black  for  Jaynes,  though  a  few  still  persisted 
in  the  belief  that  he  was  innocent,  alleging,  on  general  prin- 
ciples, that  Beery  was  the  real  criminal.  Some  maintained 
that  Perry  was  the  man,  and  that  he  had  the  package  on  his 
person  on  descending  into  the  cellar ;  but  the  previous  search 
to  which  the  three  were  subjected  presented  a  grave  obstacle 
to  the  acceptance  of  that  theory.  The  more  the  subject  was 
agitated  the  darker  it  became. 

Another  circumstance  damaged  the  cause  of  Jaynes.  The 
sash  of  the  side  window,  through  which  the  burglarious  entry 
was  obviously  made,  would  only  open  to  the  extent  of  six  and 
three-eighths  inches.  It  was  stoutly  maintained  that  neither 
Beery  nor  Perry  could  crawl  through  so  small  an  aperture, 
yet  the  dust  was  swept  from  the  sill  in  a  way  to  indicate  that 
some  one  had  struggled  hard  to  effect  a  passage.  On  the 
other  hand,  why  was  it  necessary  for  the  deputy,  who  had  a 
key  to  the  office,  to  make  so  violent  an  effort  to  gain  admission 
through  the  window,  when  a  little  manipulation  of  the  dust 


PICKING    UP    LOST    CLUES. 


I97 


with  a  handkerchief  would  evidently  have  served  his  purpose 
equally  well? 

The  facts  above  narrated,  variously  toned  to  suit  the  prefer- 
ences or  prejudices  of  different  individuals,  were  known  to 
every  one.  Neither  Dramful  nor  the  detectives  made  any 
addition  whatever  to  the  stock  of  information  already  in  the 
hands  of  the  public.  At  the  time  they  were  there,  expectation 
was  on  tiptoe,  and  matters  were  ripe  for  a  grand  denouement. 


"  The  sheriff  found  in  a  barrel,  partly  filled  with  old  iron,  registered  package 

envelope  Wo.  8." 

Four  months  had  since  elapsed,  and,  from  the  standpoint  of  a 
detective,  the  case  had  passed  beyond  the  stage  of  healthy 
development  into  a  most  unwholesome  staleness. 

Between  eight  o'clock,  A.  M.,  and  noon  of  Saturday, 
October  28th,  Mr.  Furay  had  quietly  imbibed  all  that  the 
public,  or  any  one  except  the  actual  criminal,  knew  about  the 
burglary.  Beery  was  out  of  town,  on  a  visit  to  his  w  ranch, " 


IpO  KINDLING  FALSE  FIRES. 

ten  or  twelve  miles  distant.  Perry  was  also  away  hunting  up 
cattle. 

Before  taking  any  decisive  steps,  the  detective  needed 
precise  information  respecting  the  contents  of  the  package. 
w  Gold  dust "  was  altogether  too  indefinite  a  description  to 
meet  the  necessities  of  the  crisis,  as  there  are  different 
grades  and  qualities  of  the  ore,  and  a  mistake  in  referring 
to  them  might  prove  fatal  to  success.  Since  the  original 
papers  were  far  away  in  the  hands  of  Dramful,  the  only 
feasible  method  of  learning  the  details  appeared  to  be  by 
conferring  with  the  remitters  at  Oro  City.  A  trip  across  the 
mountain  would  also  enable  the  agent  to  preserve  his  in- 
cognito till  the  return  of  two  of  the  principal  characters  to 
be  interviewed. 

He  accordingly  went  out  a  mile  from  the  village,  and  hiring 
a  horse,  started  over  the  "divide"  across  the  base  of  Mount 
Lincoln  for  Oro  City,  following  a  bridle-path  only  intended 
for  a  summer  trail,  and  telling  no  one  his  destination.  Rely- 
ing upon  his  long  experience  in  the  Rocky  Mountains,  he 
took  the  most  direct,  though  the  most  obscure  route.  Ha 
encountered,  however,  an  unexpected  obstacle.  Gradually 
the  clouds,  not  threatening  at  first,  grew  thicker  and  blacker, 
till  late  in  the  afternoon  it  began  to  snow.  The  altitude  of 
the  trail  is  about  eleven  thousand  five  hundred  feet,  Mount 
Lincoln,  one  of  the  loftiest,  if  not  the  loftiest  elevation  on 
the  continent,  towering  several  thousand  feet  above.  It  is 
several  hundred  feet  higher  than  Fremont's  Peak,  and,  like 
Fremont's  Peak,  rests  upon  a  very  high  table-land,  the  sur- 
face of  which  is  badly  broken  by  ravines  and  gulches 
running  down  the  mountain  sides,  and  hence  directly  across 
the  path  of  the  traveler. 

In  suddenness  and  fury  the  storm  surpassed  the  tropical 
cyclone.  The  wind  rose  to  a  hurricane,  while  the  whole 
atmosphere,  above,  beneath,  around,  everywhere,  seemed 
to  be  loaded  with  snow.  Within  half  an  hour  from  the  fall 
of  the  first  flake,  though  not  yet  sundown,  absolute  darkness 


A   NIGHT    IN    THE    MOUNTAINS.  199 

fell  upon  the  mountains,  so  impenetrable  even  to  light  was 
the  overhanging  curtain.  The  wind  blew  in  no  particular  di- 
rection, but  at  the  same  moment  seemed  to  come  from  all  quar- 
ters, the  solitary  human  being  battling  there  with  the  elements 
appearing  to  stand  always  at  the  focal  point  of  the  conflict. 

With  the  extinguishment  of  light,  he  instantly  lost  the 
points  of  compass.  When  suddenly  overtaken  by  appalling 
dangers,  for  which  the  mind  has  had  no  time  to  prepare,  the 
lost  traveler  yields  to  an  uncontrollable  impulse  to  drift 
about ;  and  so  did  our  friend,  although  well  aware  that  no 
course  could  be  more  perilous,  as  the  trail  wound  along 
the  edges  of  terrific  chasms  and  precipices,  down  which  he 
was  liable  to  plunge  at  any  instant.  Within  a  radius  of 
miles  there  was  hardly  a  square  rod  of  level  ground. 

For  the  first  hour  the  aimless  wanderer  did  not  wholly  de- 
spair that  "the  cloud  would  pass  off  the  mountains,"  and  leave 
daylight  enough  for  the  selection  of  a  camping-place.  The 
thermometer  was  already  below  zero,  and  during  the  night 
would  fall  much  lower.  With  the  exception  of  the  heavy 
overcoat  loaned  by  Judge  Bennett  of  Denver,  he  was  thinly 
clad  in  a  light  fall  suit.  Besides,  he  was  in  the  worst  possible 
physical  condition  for  meeting  such  a  trial,  having  for  a 
week  or  more  traveled  almost  continuously  night  and  day, 
a  part  of  the  time  over  mountain  roads  in  rough  vehicles, 
catching  hasty  naps  of  sleep  at  odd  intervals  as  opportunities 
arose.  He  had  eaten  a  light  dinner  in  great  haste,  but  no 
supper,  and  the  prospects  for  finding  one  that  night  were 
momentarily  growing  less. 

The  storm,  however,  did  not  break  away,  but  if  possible 
increased  in  violence.  A  gust  of  unusual  fierceness  tore 
off  his  hat,  and  the  darkness  deepened  till  it  became  almost 
palpable.  The  rarefied  air  tended  still  further  to  depress  the 
vital  forces.  So  suddenly  and  overwhelming  did  dangers 
close  around  the  bewildered  man,  that  for  a  brief  but  terrible 
interval  he  lost  courage,  and  was  almost  ready  to  yield  to 
the  promptings  of  despair.  Death  seemed  inevitable.  Why 


2OO  KINDLING    FALSE    FIRES. 

delay  the  crisis,  he  asked  himself,  merely  to  add  a  few  hours 
of  dreadful  torture  to  the  broken  span  ?  He  wished  the  last 
agony  well  over,  and,  laying  his  hand  on  his  revolver,  hesi- 
tated a  moment  on  the  brink  of  self-destruction,  thoughts 
dancing  in  wild  chaos,  and  reason  tottering  on  her  throne. 
Then  came  the  blessed  vision  of  wife  and  children,  radiant 
with  a  heavenly  aureola,  loving,  dependent,  linked  by  the 
bonds  of  fate  to  a  common  destiny.  The  cloud  of  despair 
rolled  off.  Those  faces,  transfigured  with  celestial  light, 
brought  hope  and  courage,  and  power  to  endure. 

Tying  the  lariat  around  the  neck  of  the  shivering  horse, 
and  buckling  the  reins  inside  the  throat-latch,  so  that  "if 
anything  did  happen,"  the  poor  animal  might  have  a  chance 
of  reaching  home,  the  lost  traveler  took  up  the  line  of 
march  for  the  night  in  a  circle  around  the  horse  about  ten 
feet  in  diameter. 

Language  is  powerless  to  describe  the  fury  of  the  storm. 
The  winds  shrieked,  and  the  fine  snow  penetrated  like 
needles,  freezing  to  hair,  beard,  and  eyelids  when  moist- 
ened by  the  breath.  The  poor  object  upon  whom  nature 
was  hurling  her  stupendous  forces,  was  conscious  of  pass- 
ing through  a  process  of  rapid  transformation  into  a  min- 
iature iceberg,  but  he  no  longer  required  the  use  of  eyes 
and  mouth,  and  no  spectators  were  near  to  laugh  at  his  weird 
appearance. 

Around,  around,  around  he  walked,  through  the  hours  that 
seemed  to  lengthen  into  ages,  as  if  repeating,  on  a  narrow 
platform,  the  fulfillment  of  the  curse  that  rests  upon  the 
Wandering  Jew.  With  the  first  refluent  wave  of  courage, 
succeeding  the  temporary  fit  of  despair,  his  spirits  mounted 
up  to  exultation,  but  toward  morning  the  unnatural  fever 
died  out.  He  grew  weary,  drowsy,  and  at  moments  irreso- 
lute. He  felt  an  almost  irresistible  inclination  to  lie  down, 
but  reason  warned  him  that  if  he  once  yielded  to  the  im- 
pulse he  would  never  rise  again. 

By  aid   of  matches   he   tried  to  examine   the   dial   of  his 


ALMOST    AT    DEATH  g    DOOR. 


201 


watch,  but  through  any  screen  he  could  make  of  his  over- 
coat, the  wind  blew  with  such  violence  that  the  light  could 
not  live  an  instant.  The  attempt,  however,  diverted  the 
mind,  broke  up  the  monotony  of  plodding  around  that  end- 
less circle,  and  seemed  to  renew  the  waning  stock  of  vitality. 
After  another  interval  of  weary  walking,  he  paused  a 
moment  to  pet  the  horse,  the  act  of  companionship  diverting 


u  Around,  around,  around  he  walked,  through  the  hours  that  seemed  to  lengthen 

into  ages." 

his   thoughts   from    his   own    sufferings,    and    rendering   the 
hardships  of  the  situation  much  more  bearable. 

The  experience  of  man  acquaints  him  with  nothing  else  so 
wonderful  as  his  own  soul,  —  nothing  with  such  unfathomable 
depths  of  resource  and  power.  Here  was  a  being  alone, 
lost,  enveloped  in  utter  darkness,  hungry,  exhausted,  almost 
deafened  by  the  savage  bowlings  of  the  tempest,  who,  in 
obedience  to  the  voice  of  an  inward  monitor,  a  dual  self, 


202  KINDLING    FALSE    FIRES. 

struggled  heroically  to  keep  the  mind  active  and  the  feet 
moving  as  the  only  means  of  resisting  successfully  the 
deadly  approaches  of  fatigue  and  cold. 

Toward  morning,  however,  stiffened  by  frost  and  en- 
feebled by  the  pressure  of  cumulative  hardships,  he  began 
to  think  very  earnestly,  after  the  manner  of  a  business  man, 
of  the  credit  and  debit  sides  of  his  account  in  the  "  Book  of 
Life."  While  remembering  no  particular  acts  of  depravity, 
still,  on  footing  up  the  columns  impartially,  as  one  must  under 
such  circumstances,  somehow  a  heavy  balance  appeared  on 
the  wrong  side  of  the  ledger.  Making  a  rough  estimate 
of  the  amount  past  due,  he  made  a  number  of  excellent  reso- 
lutions, promising  mentally  that  if  spared  to  retrieve  the 
past,  when  confronted  again  by  the  grim  angel  of  Death, 
he  would  be  prepared  to  render  a  better  account  of  his  stew- 
ardship. 

At  last  the  almost  interminable  night  wore  away,  and  a 
faint  light  began  to  overspread  the  waste.  The  wind,  too, 
instead  of  blowing  in  fitful,  eddying,  terrific  gusts,  moderated 
in  violence,  and  came  more  steadily  from  one  direction.  The 
phenomena  of  the  previous  night  were  explained  by  the 
configuration  of  the  country.  The  traveler  had  taken  a 
position  on  the  ,lee  of  a  small  conical  peak,  by  which  the 
furious  currents  of  air  were  deflected,  so  that  they  came 
simultaneously  around  both  sides.  Then  they  seemed,  also, 
to  bend  down  over  the  top  with  a  sort  of  licking  action, 
similar  to  that  exhibited  by  the  flames  of  a  large  fire  when 
pressed  down  by  a  violent  storm,  or  similar,  on  a  smaller 
scale,  to  the  quick  retreating  movement  of  the  tongues  of 
some  animals. 

In  such  storms  the  snow-fall  is  very  great,  and,  being  very 
dry,  the  force  of  the  wind  destroys  the  original  formation 
of  the  flakes,  breaking  them  into  atoms  as  fine  as  mist,  which 
increases  their  volume,  and  fills  the  air  so  completely  as  to 
render  breathing  difficult.  The  particles  at  length  find  lodg- 
ment only  in  the  deepest  gorges. 


AN    INCREDULOUS    MINER.  203 

The  more  uniform  movement  observed  in  the  blowing  of 
the  wind  was  caused  by  a  change  in  its  direction,  which  was 
accepted  as  a  good  omen ;  and  as  such  it  proved,  for  not  long 
after  the  circular  disk  of  the  sun  was  dimly  outlined  through 
the  mists.  And  what  a  scene  of  weird  desolation  it  revealed  ! 

"Through  the  drifts  the  snowy clifts, 

Did  send  a  dismal  sheen, 
Nor  shapes  of  men,  nor  beast  we  ken, 
The  ice  was  all  between." 

Courage  returned  to  the  heart  of  the  wanderer.  His  great 
anxiety  now  \vas  to  get  out  of  the  range  as  soon  as  possible. 
Finally,  after  a  long  hunt,  he  found  a  trail,  and  following  it 
down  the  mountain  with  great  difficulty,  in  the  course  of  an 
hour  saw  a  smoke.  It  was  a  moment  of  devout  thanksgiving. 
Directing  his  horse  thitherward,  he  soon  reached  the  cabin  of 
a  miner,  where  he  obtained  such  fare  as  the  lonely  adventurer 
had,  seasoned  by  a  cup  of  good  strong  coffee. 

The  miner  could  not  at  first  believe  the  story  of  the  pre- 
vious night.  Eying  the  gentleman  from  head  to  foot  with  a 
look  of  incredulity  and  wonder,  as  the  barbarians  of  Melita 
gazed  on  Paul  when  the  viper  dropped  harmless  from  his 
hand,  he  observed,  in  the  homely  and  inelegant  but  expres- 
sive words  that  make  up  the  limited  vocabulary  of  the  region, 
"Wall,  stranger,  you  must  have  had  a  h — 11  of  a  time  on  the 
mountains." 

"  On  the  contrary,"  replied  the  new-comer,  "  I  consider  that, 
from  a  religious  point  of  view,  I  have  had  a  heavenly  time. 
I  have  reformed ;  have  dropped  '  cus  words ' ;  am  going  to 
walk  as  straight  as  a  bee-line.  Nothing  like  sweet  self- 
communion,  all  alone  in  a  snow-storm,  twelve  thousand  feet 
on  the  way  to  the  skies,  for  helping  a  poor  sinner  to  see  the 
error  of  his  ways." 

"Shouldn't  wonder  if  that's  so,"  replied  the  host;  "s'pose 
't  '11  stick  ? "  His  manner  indicated  that  he  did  not  have 
much  faith  in  the  permanence  of  the  conversion.  Perhaps 
he  had  in  mind  a  notable  instance  of  repentance  under  stress 


204 


KINDLING    FALSE    FIRES. 


of  adversity;  but  if  so,  he  certainly  made  a  great  mistake  in 
applying  the  precedent. 

"The  devil  was  sick,  the  devil  a  monk  would  be  : 
The  devil  was  well,  the  devil  a  monk  was  he." 

"I  believe,  after  all,"  resumed  the  officer,  taking  a  final 
draught  of  coffee,  which  restored  his  habitual  flow  of  spirits, 


"I  have  reformed— have  dropped  '  cus  words'  — am  going  to  walk  as  straight 

as  a  bee-line." 

"I  am  more  needed  below  than  above,  and  if  you  will  put  me 
on  the  trail  to  Fair  Play,  I  will  give  up  all  ambition  to  ascend 
higher  at  present." 

The  miner  cheerfully  complied  with  the  request,  and  about 
four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  the  officer  came  in  sight  of  the 
little  town,  feeling  much  braver  and  happier  than  twelve 
hours  before.  Having  eaten  a  light  supper,  he  at  once  went 
to  bed.  No  one  in  the  village  had  missed  him,  or  had  the 


FALLING    BACK    ON    THE        GRAND    BOUNCE. 


205 


slightest  idea  of  the  nature  or  direction  of  the  late  journey,  as 
he  set  forth  ostensibly  to  visit  a  ranch  on  the  Platte. 

At  an  early  hour  the  next  morning  he  was  up,  completely 
refreshed  by  the  long  sleep,  and  began,  with  some  doubts  and 
misgivings,  to  lay  out  a  plan  of  campaign.  Most  detectives, 
similarly  situated,  would  probably  have  abandoned  the  case 
on  the  plea  that  it  was  too  old,  and  that  the  facts  were  too 


"  Taking  a  seat  on  the  back  of  a  chair,  and  eying  the  poor  fellow  with  a  cold, 


deeply  buried  to  be  worked  to  a  successful  conclusion.  The 
truth  was  known  only  to  the  criminal  who  committed  the  bur- 
glary, and  if  ever  brought  to  light,  it  must  come  through  his 
admissions.  Obviously,  one  could  learn  nothing  of  value  by 
"  mousing  around  and  playing  wise."  He  accordingly  decided 
to  come  out  of  cover  at  once,  and  to  fall  back  on  his  pet  ex- 
pedient in  like  perplexities,  the  "  grand  bounce."  Exactly 
what  the  "  grand  bounce "  is  the  reader  must  infer  from  the 


2O6  KINDLING    FALSE    FIRES. 

facts,  as  the  phrase,  belonging  to  Mr.  Furay  by  right  of  dis- 
covery, has  never  been  defined. 

He  began  operations  by  a  call  at  the  post-office.  Mr. 
Jaynes  was  in  and  alone.  The  special  agent  introduced  him- 
self by  exhibiting  his  commission,  and  requested  the  young 
man  to  sit  down  for  a  short  interview.  For  a  long  time,  the 
deputy  had  been  the  central  object  of  suspicion,  and  a  painful 
consciousness  that  many  distrustful  eyes  followed  his  daily 
movements  rendered  him  uneasy  and  nervous.  However, 
he  gave  a  detailed  account  of  all  the  circumstances  connected 
with  the  robbery  which  were  known  to  the  public.  Taking  a 
seat  on  the  back  of  a  chair,  and  eying  the  poor  fellow  with 
a  cold,  fixed,  piercing  stare,  the  detective  scarcely  spoke, 
when  he  did,  taking  care  to  so  modulate  the  tones  of  his  voice 
as  to  indicate  a  confidence  widely  at  variance  with  the  incre- 
dulity expressed  on  his  features.  The  effect  of  thus  com- 
bining, in  a  manner,  the  characters  of  prosecutor  and  advo- 
cate, deepened  the  confusion  of  the  deputy.  Utterly  unable 
to  divine  the  opinion  or  purpose  of  his  interrogator,  he  lost 
self-control,  and  shook  with  a  degree  of  violence  that  would 
have  rendered  the  longer  retention  of  a  guilty  secret  im- 
possible. 

The  officer  soon  became  satisfied  that  the  agitation  of  the 
youth  arose  in  part  from  native  timidity,  and  in  part  from  un- 
certainty in  regard  to  the  attitude  of  the  interviewer,  who 
studiously  concealed  his  thoughts,  with  the  view  of  making  a 
more  thorough  application  of  the  "sweating  process."  With- 
out uttering  an  unkind  word,  he  assumed  an  air  of  severity 
which  alone  served  to  overwhelm  the  youth,  as  it  ordinarily 
does  a  timid,  inexperienced  person,  whether  guilty  or  not ; 
but  the  trepidation  in  this  case  obviously  had  no  connection 
with  the  alarm  sounded  by  a  troubled  conscience.  When  the 
story  was  finished,  the  detective,  fully  convinced  of  the  inno- 
cence of  Jaynes,  rounded  to  gracefully,  and  left  him  in  excel- 
lent humor. 

The  shop  of  Mr.  Perry  lay  next  in  order  on  the  voyage  of 


FEELING    HIS    WAY.  2O7 

discovery.  He  was  about  twenty-seven  years  old,  tall,  slim, 
supple,  nervous  in  temperament,  and  combative  in  disposition, 
evidently  not  a  person  to  submit  tamely  to  impertinent  inter- 
ference, or  brook  language  which  might  strike  him  as  inso- 
lent. To  reach  under  such  a  character  requires  care  and 
tact,  as  a  single  imprudent  word  may  so  rouse  latent  antag- 
onisms as  to  throw  him  in  an  instant  into  an  attitude  of  defi- 
ance fatal  to  further  progress  with  the  case. 

The  detective  accordingly  approached  him  very  courteously, 
and  explained  in  general  terms  the  object  of  his  visit.  Said 
he,  w  I  am  advised  that  you  may  possibly  be  possessed  of  val- 
uable information,  and  hence  have  taken  the  liberty  of  calling 
on  you." 

"  Come  into  the  back  room,"  replied  the  young  man,  cor- 
dially. 

Thither  they  repaired  and  took  seats  beside  each  other,  the 
officer  meanwhile  measuring  his  new  acquaintance  in  point 
of  calibre  and  force.  He  had  penetrated  to  the  marrow  of 
Jaynes  through  his  timidity,  the  retreating  chin,  and  mild, 
unsteady  eye  of  the  young  man  clearly  indicating  his  most 
vulnerable  point.  Perry  was  made  of  different  stuff,  and  it 
was  necessary  to  employ  different  means  to  reach  the  secrets 
of  his  heart.  With  him  the  detective  aimed  to  convey  the 
impression  that,  while  positive,  courteous,  and  just,  he  was 
also  as  keen  as  a  Damascene  blade,  with  the  view  of  inspiring 
fear  without  arousing  combativeness. 

An  idea  prevails  quite  generally  that  government  detectives, 
as  a  class,  possess  almost  supernatural  insight  and  acumen, 
and  it  is  exceedingly  difficult  for  a  novice  in  crime  to  conceal 
his  dread  when  brought  for  the  first  time  face  to  face  with  a 
man  supposed  to  be  gifted  with  the  faculty  of  divining  the 
secrets  of  the  soul.  The  general  fact  may  often  be  turned  to 
excellent  account,  where  there  is  a  sufficient  basis  of  merit  in 
an  officer  to  lend  a  color  of  truth  to  the  assumption.  But 
under  all  circumstances  it  is  needful  that  he  should  keep  con- 
stantly on  the  alert,  as  a  single  blunder  may  betray  the  hoof 


2O8  KINDLING    FALSE    FIRES. 

of  the  ass  under  the  skin  of  the  lion,  when  the  spell  is  broken 
and  the  culprit  rises  to  the  mastery  of  the  situation.  A  few 
men  in  the  various  departments  of  the  government  —  the  rare 
exceptions  that  relieve  the  waste  of  hundreds  of  costly  and 
barren  experiments  —  possess  this  gift  of  divination  to  a  de- 
gree that  may  well  appall  the  criminal,  but  officers  so  endowed 
may  safely  be  reckoned  among  the  most  uncommon  products 
of  nature. 

At  the  request  of  the  special  agent,  Perry  proceeded  to 
relate  the  facts  of  the  burglary,  and,  though  a  little  restless 
under  the  searching  scrutiny  of  the  interviewer,  he  told  the 
story  with  a  simplicity  and  ingenuousness  indicative  of  truth. 
Seeing  that  no  dark  secret  lurked  in  the  background,  the  offi- 
cer left  him  in  good  humor,  hardly  conscious  that  the  visit 
had  any  relation  to  his  possible  guilt. 

Two  out  of  the  three  suspected  parties  were  now  eliminated 
from  the  problem  to  the  full  satisfaction  of  the  detective.  If 
his  reasoning  was  correct,  the  third  one  must  be  the  man. 

Beery  had  returned  from  his  ranch.  At  this  time  he  kept 
the  express  office  in  a  small,  isolated  building,  a  little  west  of 
the  store  of  Jaynes,  having  moved  from  the  old  location  on 
the  plea  that  he  would  have  no  further  connection  with  a  nest 
of  thieves.  At  the  same  time,  he  issued  a  placard  offering  a 
reward  of  three  hundred  dollars  for  the  apprehension  of  the 
burglar,  and  also  wrote  to  the  agent  of  Wells,  Fargo  & 
Co.,  at  Denver,  explaining  what  he  had  done,  and  asking  for 
a  safe.  Had  the  man  taken  these  steps  with  an  honest  pur- 
pose, or  wickedly  and  infamously,  like  the  wretch  who  — 

"  —  shipwrecked,  kindles  on  the  coast 
False  fires,  that  others  may  be  lost"? 

Perry  pointed  out  the  gentleman  while  passing  on  the  oppo- 
site side  of  the  way,  when  the  detective  followed  him  into  the 
office,  taking  a  seat  till  he  had  completed  the  purchase  of  a 
small  lot  of  gold  dust  from  a  miner. 

Beery  was  evidently  about  thirty-three  years  old,  five  feet 


MISPLACED    CONFIDENCE.  2Op 

six  inches  tall,  and  weighed  perhaps  one  hundred  and  thirty- 
five  pounds.  His  hair,  whiskers,  and  complexion  were  all 
red,  the  color  of  his  curly  beard  deepening  to  a  bright  crim- 
son. His  eyes  belonged  to  the  variety  known  as  the  "  gander 
blue,"  with  small,  truckling,  destructive  pupils. 

Notwithstanding  an  exterior  decidedly  repellent  to  a  stran- 
ger, Beery  had  many  warm  friends,  and  had  married  the 
daughter  of  an  estimable  and  influential  citizen.  In  the 
course  of  time  many  important  trusts  centered  in  his  hands. 
He  transacted  the  business  in  the  office  of  the  receiver  of 
public  moneys  for  the  district,  and  also  in  the  office  of  county 
treasurer,  being  the  deputy  of  each  of  those  functionaries. 
He  was  also  agent  of  the  First  National  Bank  of  Denver  for 
the  purchase  of  gold  dust  from  miners,  and  was  the  trusted 
agent  of  Wells,  Fargo  &  Co. ;  for  they  had  unbounded  faith  in 
his  integrity,  and  confided  in  him  perhaps  more  than  in  any  one 
else  among  the  mountains.  Nor  was  this  all.  The  Colorado 
Stage  Company  committed  their  most  important  business  to 
his  management,  often  leaving  their  surplus  funds  in  his 
hands,  feeling  absolute  confidence  in  its  safety.  He  owned 
a  ranch,  too,  and  cattle,  and  was  supposed  to  live  above  the 
reach  of  the  temptations  which  are  often  permitted  to  drive  the 
needy  to  crime. 

The  detective  had  been  pointed  out  to  Beery  on  the  street, 
and  at  the  first  encounter  of  eyes  he  saw  that  he  was  known. 
In  the  brief  interval  preceding  the  first  gun,  he  studied  the 
features  and  expression  of  the  man  intently.  In  time,  actions 
both  good  and  evil  are  certain  to  leave  their  impress  upon  the 
human  face,  as  clear  to  the  eye  gifted  with  the  power  to  read 
the  hieroglyphics,  as  the  imprint  made  by  a  seal  on  wax. 
Nature  never  lies,  however  small  the  number  who  can  inter- 
pret her  mysteries.  His  first  thought  was,  How  can  a  person 
with  such  a  face  enjoy  so  fair  a  reputation  among  his  neigh- 
bors? "Sneak  thief"  seemed  to  be  branded  in  letters  of  flame 
on  his  forehead.  Nor  were  the  lines  graven  by  multiplied 
acts  of  villany  either  shallow  or  recent.  A  convict  could 


2IO  KINDLING    FALSE    FIRES. 

hardly  wear  more  conspicuously  the  regulation  livery  of  the 
prison. 

The  detective  mentally  ejaculated,  Here  is  my  man,  but  how 
am  I  to  get  under  him  ?  A  moment  only  was  left  for  deliber- 
ation. As  the  miner  passed  out,  he  followed  to  the  door,  and 
having  locked  it,  put  the  key  in  his  pocket  as  leisurely  and 
unconcernedly  as  if  the  transaction  was  purely  commonplace. 
Turning  around,  he  remarked,  with  perfect  composure,  "Billy 
Beery,  I  believe?" 

"Yes,  sir,"  responded  that  worthy.  "Is  there  anything  I 
can  do  for  you  ?  " 

"There  is,"  replied  the  officer,  at  the  same  time  fairly  utter- 
ing  a  sickly,  jeering  smile.  "There  is  something  you  can  do 
for  me.  Please  come  around  and  sit  down.  I  want  to  talk 
to  you." 

While  locking  the  door,  the  officer  noticed  a  mysterious 
movement,  and,  surmising  that  the  tenant  of  the  building 
might  use  a  pistol  on  the  pretext  that  he  was  held  a  prisoner 
for  the  purpose  of  robbery,  moved  along  simultaneously  so  as 
to  meet  him  at  the  end  of  the  counter,  behind  which  he  was 
passing.  Fortunately,  perhaps  for  both,  he  was  unarmed. 
Instead  of  taking  a  chair,  Beery  mounted  a  high  box,  when 
the  detective  dropped  heavily  into  a  seat  about  five  feet  dis- 
tant, as  one  might  after  completing  a  laborious  and  disagree- 
able task.  Having  done  so,  he  remarked,  "  Mr.  Beery,  I  see 
you  know  who  I  am." 

"Yes,  sir,"  replied  he;  "you  were  pointed  out  to  me  this 
morning." 

Very  slowly  and  deliberately  the  officer  then  looked  him 
over,  beginning  at  his  boots,  and  at  last  directing  his  gaze 
into  his  eye  with  a  penetration  that  seemed  to  appall  and  par- 
alyze him.  The  silence  was  broken  by  the  further  question, 
"  Of  course  you  know  what  I  am,  and  what  I  am  here  for?  " 

"  I  suppose  you  are  here  on  this  post-office  robbery  case." 

"  Billy,  you  are  a  close  guesser,  I  see.  As  I  have  had  occa- 
sion to  visit  this  territory  several  times  on  similar  business, 


BILLY    IN    A    BAD    FIX.  211 

you  have  perhaps  heard  of  me,  and  know  what  my  reputation 
is.  Now  tell  me  how  old  you  are." 

This  was  uttered  with  a  regretful  air,  as  if  the  speaker  was 
impelled  by  some  resistless  influence,  like  an  overpowering 
sense  of  duty,  to  the  performance  of  a  very  unpleasant  task. 

A  slight  but  perceptible  tremor  vibrated  through  the  frame 
of  the  unhappy  man.  He  gave  his  age  mechanically,  as  it 
were,  without  looking  up.  The  strange,  wholly  unexpected 
"shoot"  taken  by  the  detective  had  half  surprised  a  confession 
from  the  criminal  already.  Dazed  by  the  suddenness  of  the 
attack  and  by  exaggerated  fears,  he  lost  his  balance,  and  was 
almost  ready  to  topple  over. 

"Well,  Billy,"  continued  the  officer,  "this  is  too  bad.  You 
have  an  interesting  family,  and  —  " 

The  allusion  to  his  household  instantly  changed  the  current 
of  his  thoughts.  He  rallied,  and,  bounding  from  the  box  like 
a  wild  beast  stung  to  madness  by  the  shafts  of  the  hunter, 
exclaimed,  with  an  oath,  "What  business  is  it  of  yours 
whether  I  have  an  interesting  family  or  not?  In  what  way 
do  my  personal  affairs  concern  you,  that  you  presume  to  dis- 
cuss them  ?  I  will  not  bear  such  insolence.  Leave  the  room 
this  instant,  and  on  your  peril  do  not  dare  ever  darken  my 
doors  again  ! " 

The  little  speech,  though  brave  in  sound,  proved  a  dismal 
failure.  Physically  the  detective  was  greatly  superior  to  his 
antagonist,  while  to  personal  fear  he  was  by  nature  and  habit 
a  stranger.  In  a  tone  of  easy  superiority  he  replied,  "Well, 
Billy,  you  are  a  little  queer  in  spots.  Now  sit  down  here  and 
be  easy.  I  am  not  a  fool,  and,  at  all  events,  I  am  not  a  cow- 
ard. Before  I  am  through,  I  will  give  reasons  as  plenty  as 
blackberries  for  my  questions.  Right  here,  Billy,  I  may  as 
well  repeat  what  you  know,  what  I  know,  and  what  the  God 
above  us  knows.  You  robbed  the  post-office.  You  got  that 
dreadful  gold  that  is  even  now  burning  into  your  life  like  the 
fires  of  Tophet.  The  crime  itself,  reinforced  by  other  crimes 
and  cruel  wrongs,  committed  in  the  vain  hope  of  hiding  what 


212 


KINDLING    FALSE    FIRES. 


will  not  remain  hidden ;  what  infinite  Justice  sooner  or  later 
would  surely  drag  into  light,  irrespective  of  human  efforts,  is 
killing  you  by  degrees.  Am  I  not  right?  Are  your  days 
happy?  Is  your  sleep  peaceful?  No,  Billy.  With  you,  hell 
has  begun  on  earth,  and  you  cannot  escape  the  tortures. 
More  than  that,  poor  fellow,  discovery  and  the  retribution  of 
man,  have  come  sooner  than  you  expected.  Moth  that  you 


*'  "Well,  Billy,  you  are  a  little  queer  in  spots.    Now  sit  down  here  and  be  easy. 
I  am  not  a  fool,  and,  at  all  events,  I  am  not  a  coward." 

are,  you  have  fluttered  into  the  flame,  and,  Billy  Beery,  I've 
got  you." 

The  last  sentence,  delivered  in  a  tone  of  absolute  self-assur- 
ance, seemed  to  freeze  him.  After  a  brief  and  evidently  pain- 
ful pause,  he  at  length  drawled  out,  "  How  do  you  know  I 
did  it?" 

"  Know  it !  know  it !  "  thundered  the  detective,  in  apparent 
amazement  at  the  stupidity  of  the  question.  "Why,  heavens, 


A   WRETCHED    CRIMINAL.  213 

man,  you  don't  presume  to  deny  it,  do  you?  Answer  me 
that,  Billy,  —  answer  me  that." 

And  rising  up,  he  lifted  his  arm  as  if  to  hold  back  for  a 
moment  the  thunderbolts  of  divine  wrath,  that  vengeance 
might  not  overwhelm  the  guilty  soul  till  one  more  opportunity 
was  given  to  unburden  itself  of  the  dark  secret. 

"  I'd  like  to  see  you  prove  it !  "  replied  the  trembling  wretch, 
with  feeble  bravo. 

"  Prove  it?  "  retorted  the  detective,  with  augmented  surprise. 
ff  O,  you  poor,  unfortunate  man,  leave  the  proofs  to  me  !  Did 
you  ever  think,  Billy,  how  impossible  it  is  to  cover  up  such  a 
matter?  The  laws  of  God,  superior  to  all  human  cunning, 
forbid  that  it  should  be  done.  When  a  mortal  being,  in  a 
moment  of  supreme  folly,  defies  the  wrath  of  the  Almighty 
by  trampling  on  his  laws,  can  he  expect  the  all-seeing  Eye 
and  the  omnipotent  Hand  to  suffer  him  to  enjoy  in  conceal- 
ment and  security  the  fruits  of  crime?  Never,  never.  Prove 
it?  If  I  did  not  have  proof  absolute,  would  I  be  talking  to 
you  as  I  am?  Why  am  I  not  after  Jaynes?  Billy,  he  is  not 
guilty.  Why  am  I  not  after  Perry?  He  is  not  guilty  either. 
You  know  it,  and  I  know  it.  Do  you  suppose  the  govern- 
ment would  send  an  idiot  out  here  on  a  fool's  errand?  Now, 
sir,  we  may  as  well  finish  this  business  first  as  last.  Where 
is  that  gold?" 

"I  don't  know  anything  about  it,"  responded  the  wretched 
man,  feebly. 

"Billy,  what  demon  tempts  you  to  lie  to  me?  What  do  you 
take  me  for?  Do  you  suppose  I  am  here  for  fun?  If  you 
think  so,  may  God  have  mercy  on  your  guilty,  impenitent, 
ruined  soul.  Come,  sir,  time  is  too  precious  to  be  wasted. 
Where  is  the  gold?  What  have  you  done  with  it?  " 

"  I  can't  tell  you." 

"  Can't  tell  me  !  Billy  Beery,  has  not  that  dreadful  robbery 
led  you  into  crimes  enough  already?  Think  how  hard  you 
have  striven  to  blast  forever  the  reputation  of  your  old  friend 
Jaynes  —  a  man  as  innocent  of  this  thing  as  the  child  unborn. 


214  KINDLING    FALSE    FIRES. 

Yes,  hardened  wretch,  remember  how  you  have  plotted  to 
drag  to  prison  the  comrade  who  loved  and  trusted  you  like  a 
brother.  You  took  no  pleasure  in  this  act  of  horrible  treach- 
ery, but  rushed  into  it  madly  to  save  yourself  at  any  cost. 
Recall  the  falsehoods  you  have  already  told,  vainly  hoping  to 
mislead  the  pursuit  of  Justice.  It  is  high  time  to  come  out 
from  the  crumbling  refuge  of  lies  and  take  a  new  start. 
What,  in  the  name  of  all  that  is  good  and  pure  and  worth 
living  for,  ever  induced  you  to  yield  to  that  temptation?  You 
have  a  nice  wife  and  a  darling  child.  Was  it  for  them  you 
committed  the  crime  ?  " 

At  length  an  arrow  had  pierced  through  a  joint  in  the  har- 
ness, and  the  self-convicted  burglar  began  to  cry.  His  chin 
dropped  upon  his  breast,  and  his  sinewy  frame  shook  with 
convulsive  sobbing.  The  detective  followed  up  the  advantage 
closely.  "  O,  Billy,  tell  me  what  drove  you  into  it !  Speak 
out.  Don't  be  afraid." 

He  hesitated,  raising  his  eyes  with  an  introspective,  irres- 
olute look,  as  if  half  resolved  to  end  the  agony  by  a  frank 
confession.  Before  a  word  escaped,  however,  he  resumed 
sobbing.  The  detective  saw  that  he  was  rapidly  breaking  up, 
and  that  the  time  had  come  to  deliver  the  final  blow.  "  Billy," 
he  continued,  "I  am  profoundly  sorry  for  you.  My  pursuits 
in  life  have  made  me  familiar  with  the  antecedents  and  trials 
of  many,  from  different  grades  of  society,  whom  the  world 
with  singular  lack  of  discernment  classes  indiscriminately  as 
*  criminals.'  I  have  learned  to  look  upon  the  poor  unfortu- 
nates in  many  cases  with  far  more  of  pity  than  resentment. 
The  offenders  with  whom  I  am  brought  in  contact  are  not 
generally  hardened  wretches,  as  the  world  ignorantly  sup- 
poses, but  just  such  people  as  we  meet  every  day,  no  better, 
no  worse ;  the  difference  being  that  some  in  an  unguarded 
moment  have  yielded  to  temptation,  doing,  under  a  mad, 
unaccountable  impulse,  what  they  would  give  their  lives  to 
recall ;  while  others,  more  fortunate,  if  not  more  firmly 
grounded  in  the  principles  of  honesty,  have  been  spared  the 


WMY    GUILT    HAS    FOUND    ME    OUT."  21$ 

humiliation  by  the  kind  Providence  who  has  guided  their  steps 
through  less  perilous  pathways.  .  Some  may  evade  for  a  long 
time  the  inevitable  penalty.  Sooner  or  later,  however,  it  is 
sure  to  overtake  them.  It  so  happens  that  you  have  been 
apprehended  early,  before  your  character  has  had  time  to 
harden  into  hopeless  criminality.  You  will  live  to  thank 
God  that  the  discovery  was  not  postponed.  I  can  sympathize 
deeply  with  the  man  who,  overborne  by  what  he  believed  to 
be  a  dire  necessity,  falls  in  a  moment  of  frenzy.  It  is  indeed 
pitiable  that  for  the  weakness  of  one  hour,  he  should  suffer  so 
long  and  so  terribly.  Billy,  what  was  it,  tell  me,  that  pressed, 
that  drove  you  into  this  ?  " 

The  poor  fellow,  unable  to  hold  out  longer,  gave  up  com- 
pletely. Taking  the  hand  of  the  detective  with  the  gentle- 
ness of  a  woman,  he  sobbed  out,  "Stranger,  it  is  no  use.  I 
see  it  is  no  use.  My  guilt  has  found  me  out.  I  took  the 
gold.  O,  my  God,  why  did  I  do  it?  Is  there  mercy  in 
heaven  for  such  as  me?" 

Only  the  salient  points  have  been  given  of  the  conversation 
which  lasted  about  three  hours,  before  the  resistance  of  the 
criminal,  undermined  by  the  heavy  battering  from  without, 
and  within  by  the  spectral  fears  born  of  a  tortured  conscience, 
yielded  to  the  superior  nerve  force  of  the  detective.  The  poor 
fellow  was  passing  through  the  crucible  of  the  chemist.  His 
character  was  dissected  and  analyzed  till  the  complex  struc- 
ture was  resolved  into  its  constituent  elements.  In  his  case 
how  different  the  reality  from  the  semblance,  the  being  from 
the  seeming,  the  inward  substance  from  the  outward  show ! 
An  ingrained  coward,  he  was  reputed  to  be  "  the  bravest  man 
in  the  mountains."  A  thief  and  a  perjurer,  he  was  trusted 
with  the  custody  of  uncounted  cash.  Now  the  mask,  worn 
successfully  for  years,  was  stripped  off,  and  the  hideous  de- 
formities laid  bare. 

His  leading  characteristics  were  vanity  and  love  of  applause, 
raised  to  the  dignity  of  controlling  forces  by  an  overgrowth  of 
destructiveness  that  had  in  it  no  element  of  courage.  Had  he 


2l6 


KINDLING    FALSE    FIRES. 


been  born  a  Cheyenne  chief,  he  would,  under  cover  of  dark- 
ness, have  crept  up  valiantly  to  the  settlements  of  an  enemy  for 
the  scalps  of  the  sleeping  and  defenseless.  In  a  southern 
negro  the  same  qualities  would  make  Cuny  an  obsequious 
servant  in  the  house,  and  a  hero  in  the  kitchen,  the  plotter  of 
midnight  expeditions  against  the  hen-coops  of  the  vicinage, 
whence  the  leader  would  bear  off  the  prizes,  leaving  some 


"  Stranger,  it  is  no  use.    My  guilt  has  found  me  out.    I  took  the  gold.   O,  my 
God,  why  did  I  do  it  P  " 

thick-skulled  dupe  to  take  the  blows.  The  timid  desperadoes 
who  infest  large  cities,  killing  when  cornered,  are  made  of 
similar  stuff.  Born,  however,  amid  moral  surroundings,  and 
taught  in  youth  to  work,  he  belonged  to  the  large  class  that, 
growing  from  without  rather  than  from  within,  are  ordinarily 
molded  by  the  prevalent  influences  about  them,  and,  keeping 
their  evil  propensities  measurably  in  check,  often  succeed  in 


NOT    ENTIRELY    UNRAVELED.  21 7 

leading  respected  and  honored  lives.  Amid  revolutions,  or 
great  social  upheavals,  such  men,  lured  on  by  thirst  for  praise, 
under  the  doubtful  pilotage  of  plausibility  and  cunning,  some- 
times win  for  the  moment  notoriety  and  prominence. 

Beery  acquired  a  reputation  for  bravery  by  carrying  the 
treasure  of  Wells,  Fargo  &  Co.  to  Denver  on  horseback  at  a 
time  when  the  road  was  infested  with  highwaymen,  and  the 
stages  were  afraid  to  run.  It  was,  however,  a  greed  for 
applause  that  prompted  the  undertaking,  and,  having  once 
embarked  in  the  enterprise,  fear  of  derision  held  him  to  its 
execution. 

.  The  special  agent  had  discovered  the  thief.  Two  further 
duties  remained :  he  must,  if  possible,  recover  the  stolen 
treasure  for  the  benefit  of  the  owners,  and  obtain  the  legal 
evidence  requisite  for  the  conviction  of  the  criminal.  The 
task  was  exceedingly  difficult,  as  the  detective  had  no  previ- 
ous information  to  operate  on,  and  was  forced  to  win  from  the 
burglar  the  secrets  to  be  used  as  ammunition  in  each  succes- 
sive stage  of  the  attack. 

He  only  knew  that  about  sixty-six  ounces  of  gold  were  con- 
tained in  the  package,  with  some  currency  and  checks,  but 
had  no  details  whatever,  having  been  prevented  by  the  storm 
on  the  mountains  from  learning  the  facts  from  the  remitters. 
He  did  not  know  what  kind  of  dust  it  was  ;  whether  "  coarse 
gulch,"  fr retorted  fine,"  or  "milling;"  whether  it  contained 
any  peculiar  nuggets,  or  milling-bars ;  whether  it  was  a 
"straight  lot"  from  one  gulch,  or  a  mixed  lot  from  several; 
whether  it  was  all  mailed  by  one  person  or  by  more,  or  whether 
it  was  tied  in  a  single  package  or  in  many.  All  these  facts 
Dramful  knew  from  the  papers  in  the  case,  but  he  was  then 
dreaming  on  them  in  New  Mexico. 

Again,  if  Beery  committed  the  burglary,  he  must  have 
operated  while  Jaynes  was  at  his  house,  indicating  that, 
although  the  invitations  were  issued  the  day  before,  the 
party  was  given  with  a  view  to  facilitate  the  robbery  in  case 
the  mail  should  bring  valuable  packages.  Yet  it  was  unsafe 


2l8  KINDLING    FALSE    FIRES. 

to  hazard  any  remark  in  reference  to  the  time,  as  a  mistake, 
however  slight,  might  expose  the  game  of  bluff. 

The  side-window  was  raised  six  and  three  eighths  inches, 
appearances  strongly  indicating  that  some  one  had  tried  to 
enter  by  that  way ;  but  Beery  had  long  been  an  occupant  of 
the  building,  and  might,  without  the  knowledge  of  the  pro- 
prietor, have  a  key  to  one  of  the  doors.  If  so,  he  of  course 
raised  the  sash  and  dusted  the  sill  as  a  blind.  The  theory  of 
the  false  key  seemed  the  more  credible,  as  the  agent  did  not 
believe  that  a  man  weighing  a  hundred  and  thirty  pounds 
could  crawl  through  so  small  an  opening.  Still,  in  hazarding 
a  point  he  might  not  guess  right,  and  a  blunder  would  be 
fatal. 

Assuming  that  Beery  was  guilty,  how  came  the  registered 
package-envelope  in  the  cellar?  All  the  current  statements 
concurred  in  representing  that  the  party  searched  each  other 
thoroughly  before  going  down.  Yet  he  and  no  one  else 
must  have  put  it  there.  But  when  and  how?  Here,  too,  the 
ice  was  too  thin  to  be  trusted. 

The  finding  of  the  paper  and  twine  in  Beery's  stable  indi- 
cated that  the  package  was  opened  there ;  but  the  detective 
had  never  seen  either,  and  hence  did  not  know  whether  the 
wrapping  was  cut  or  torn.  Nor  was  it  by  any  means  certain 
that  the  rifling  was  consummated  at  that  place,  so  that  any 
assumption  based  on  this  particular  discovery  might  explode 
a  mine  into  empty  air.  In  short,  the  officer  was  absolutely 
bare-handed  of  facts.  He  had  nothing  but  acumen  and 
native  wit  to  depend  upon.  Hence,  the  only  feasible  course 
was  to  fly  his  kite  high,  looking  and  acting  severely  wise, 
until  he  could  feel  around  for  the  weak  spots  of  the  suspected 
criminal,  which  were  soon  found  to  be  vanity  and  coward- 
ice. As  the  tactics  developed,  the  victim  became  badly 
frightened,  and,  believing  that  the  officer  had  somehow  dis- 
covered the  truth,  at  length  broke  down  from  sheer  lack  of 
strength  to  hold  out  longer  against  the  heavy  artillery  of  his 
adversary.  In  talking  the  matter  over  afterwards,  he  ex- 


A    TEARFUL    BURGLAR. 

plained  the  nature  of  his  apprehensions.  He  supposed  that 
he  had  been  shadowed  while  visiting  the  hidden  treasure, 
or  that  some  one  had  seen  him  enter  or  leave  the  post-office 
on  the  night  of  the  burglary,  and  had  communicated  secretly 
with  the  department,  which  in  response  had  sent  out  one  of  its 
most  terrible  agents.  Still  he  tried  very  hard  to  find  out  just 
what  the  detective  did  know,  but  was  always  put  off  with 
some  evasive  reply,  as,  "Never  mind;  you  will  learn  soon 
enough  what  I've  got." 

As  already  stated,  the  conversation  lasted  over  three  hours 
before  the  wretched  man  admitted  the  crime,  tacking  hither 
and  thither  in  the  idle  hope  that  some  lull  in  the  gale  might 
yet  save  the  water-logged  craft  from  wreck.  When  the 
acknowledgment  came,  the  officer  responded,  "Why,  of 
course  you  are  guilty.  Now  let  us  sit  down  and  talk  sense 
awhile.  You  have  told  one  vital  truth,  and,  I  trust,  are  in 
no  humor  to  fall  back  again  upon  the  line  of  falsehood. 
Lies  never  saved  a  man  in  the  hour  of  extremity,  and  never 
will.  Tell  me  how  much  of  this  money  you  still  have.  In 
an  evil  moment  you  did  a  great  wrong  to  the  poor  people 
who  intrusted  their  means  to  the  mails.  Complete  now  the 
good  work  you  have  begun,  for  there  is  no  evidence  of  re- 
pentance that  will  satisfy  either  God  or  man  without  confes- 
sion and  restitution.  The  two  must  go  hand  in  hand.  Billy, 
let  me  have  that  money." 

The  burglar  sat  motionless,  sobbing  bitterly.  The  officer 
continued  :  "Come,  nerve  up,  and  start  life  anew  as  an  honest, 
truthful,  just  man.  You  can  still  retrieve  the  past,  if  you  go 
to  work  the  right  way." 

"O  God!"  he  replied,  "what  a  fool  I  have  been.  I  wish 
I  were  dead!  A  part  of  the  money  is  spent,  but  some  of  it 
I  have  still." 

"About  how  much,  Billy,  is  there  left?" 

"  I  suppose  there  may  be  twenty  or  twenty-five  ounces  of 
the  dust,"  he  answered,  still  sobbing. 

"Well,    where    are   the    checks?"    queried   the   detective, 


220  KINDLING    FALSE    FIRES. 

anxious  to  get  possession  of  some  of  the  original  property  to 
be  used  as  evidence  at  the  trial. 

"I  destroyed  them.  They  were  of  no  account,  however, 
and  the  parties  lost  nothing.  But,  Mr.  Furay,  are  you 
going  to  carry  me  away  with  you?  If  so,  I  may  as  well  die 
for  a  sheep  as  a  lamb." 

The  appearance  and  manner  of  the  man  changed  en- 
tirely. He  quit  sobbing,  cooled  down,  and  was  evidently 
passing  on  to  the  stage  of  desperation.  He  then  repeated 
the  question,  "Come,  are  you  going  to  arrest  me?  I  want 
to  know." 

It  would  never  do  to  let  hope  die  out  of  his  heart.  "  Why, 
no,"  replied  the  officer.  "You  unfortunate,  foolish  man,  what 
have  I  to  gain  by  arresting  you  ?  " 

"Isn't  that  what  you  are  here  for?" 

"No.  Sit  down,  and  I  will  tell  you  what  I  am  here  for. 
I  am  no  marshal  clothed  with  authority  to  arrest.  I  am  a 
special  agent,  and  as  such  empowered  to  exercise  a  wide 
discretion  in  the  performance  of  my  duties.  I  propose  to  do 
what  is  about  right,  and  hope  to  succeed  to  the  reasonable 
satisfaction  of  all  parties." 

"Furay,"  replied  the  burglar,  not  addressing  him  this  time 
as  Mr.)  "I  want  to  know  whether  you  intend  to  arrest  me, 
and  I  am  going  to  get  an  answer  out  of  you." 

"  How  many  times,"  replied  he,  "  must  I  assure  you  that  I 
am  not.  Sit  down,  and  do  not  act  like  a  fool." 

Somehow  the  detective  had  lost  his  grip.  However,  the 
burglar  sat  down  with  the  recklessness  of  despair  depicted  on 
his  countenance. 

"Billy,"  resumed  the  officer,  "I  never  before  met  a  man 
like  you,  though  I  have  encountered  some  strange  ones.  What 
on  earth  ails  you  ?  Now  listen  to  me  —  " 

"No,"  he  retorted,  jumping  up;  "I  will  not  listen  to  any- 
thing from  you,  or  from  anybody  else." 

"  All  right,"  thundered  the  officer.  "  If  you  will  not  listen, 
I'll  make  you  feel.  Billy  Beery,  if  you  insist  on  being  a 


THE    EFFECT    OF    HANDCUFFS.  221 

fool,  and  in  making  the  disgrace  of  yourself  and  of  your 
family  a  matter  of  necessity,  so  let  it  be."  With  the  last 
word,  he  jerked  from  the  armhole  on  the  left  side  of  his 
vest  a  pair  of  handcuffs,  and  continued:  "Then  you  are  re- 
solved not  to  listen  to  reason.  Since  you  drive  me  to  it,  put 
them  on,  put  them  on,  I  say,"  holding  each  one  open.  "As 
you  are  determined  to  have  the  iron  burn  to  the  bone,  you 
shall  be  accommodated." 


"  All  right,"  thundered  the  officer.    «•  If  you  will  not  listen,  I'll  make  you  feel." 

The  last  words  were  uttered  in  a  tone  of  terrible  determi- 
nation. The  criminal,  looking  furtively  toward  the  door 
where  different  parties  had  been  knocking  and  trying  to 
enter  all  the  morning,  whispered  in  a  tone  of  subdued  en- 
treaty, "  Hsh-h-h.  Do  not  talk  so  loud,  please." 

"  What  do  you  suppose  I  care  who  hears  my  voice  or  my 
words,  since  you  persist  in  driving  me  to  extremities?  Ill 


222  KINDLING    FALSE    FIRES. 

make  this  matter  ring  for  you  in  every  canon  in  Colorado  if 
by  your  folly  you  compel  me  to  do  it." 

"  Hush !  For  God's  sake,  hush !  You  will  have  the 
whole  town  at  the  door.  I  have  acted  like  a  fool.  I  will 
listen.  Tell  me  what  you  want." 

"I  want  you  to  be  a  man,  as  you  set  out  to  be  a  little 
while  ago,"  replied  the  detective,  again  taking  charge  of 
the  situation.  "  I  am  not  inclined  to  be  severe,  but  I  can 
be  if  you  leave  me  no  alternative.  Yes,  if  you  force  me  to 
it,  every  man,  woman,  and  child  in  this  territory  shall  know 
of  your  disgrace,  and  you  can  then  thank  yourself  for  bring- 
ing down  the  public  scorn  upon  your  head." 

But  the  fellow  had  become  too  desperate  to  respond  readily 
to  appeals  addressed  either  to  his  sympathies  or  fears.  In 
that  state  of  mind,  one  could  no  more  touch  his  heart  than 
wash  the  skin  of  a  duck  by  pouring  water  on  its  back. 
With  the  cord  slowly  tightening  about  his  neck,  light  turned 
to  darkness,  and  life  became  a  burden.  He  evidently  wanted 
to  see  his  wife  once  more,  disclose  where  the  stolen  treasure 
was  hidden,  and  then  blow  his  brains  out.  The  detective, 
recalling  his  own  late  experience  on  the  mountain,  appre- 
ciated more  keenly  the  hopeless  thoughts  and  rash  projects 
then  surging  in  wild  disorder  through  that  perturbed  brain. 
Suppose  he  should  kill  himself,  thought  the  officer,  for  my 
part  in  firing  the  train,  shouldn't  I  always  feel  like  a  "bob- 
tailed  "  murderer? 

After  a  reflective  pause,  the  burglar  inquired,  "I  suppose 
you  came  up  here  to  capture  me,  and  it  looks  as  if  you  had 
succeeded.  I  have  been  frank  with  you ;  now  tell  me,  how 
many  are  in  your  secret?" 

In  framing  the  first  words  of  the  reply,  the  officer  inad- 
vertently almost  gave  away  his  game  of  bluff  by  betraying 
the  emptiness  of  his  hand.  "  No  one  knows  a  thing  of  this 
that  you  need  ever  fear.  I,  and  I  alone,  control  the  case. 
What  I  want  done  will  be  done.  Tell  me  in  turn  how  you 
want  the  matter  fixed,  for  fixed  in  some  way  it  must  be. 


223 

But  bear  in  mind  I  have  no  right  to  agree  to  anything  unless 
the  money  is  restored.  That  must  be  done  before  we  can 
talk  about  terms  of  adjustment." 

The  face  of  the  robber  kindled  with  renewed  hope,  and 
he  replied  in  a  more  cheerful  tone,  w  If  you  will  promise  not 
to  arrest  me,  I  can  give  you  over  twenty-five  ounces  now, 
and  pay  a  part  of  the  currency.  The  balance  I'll  make 
good  within  thirty  days.  But  before  I  turn  over  a  cent,  I 
want  your  written  promise  that  I  will  not  be  arrested." 

"  Bring  me  the  paper,"  replied  the  officer,  w  and  you  shall 
have  the  guaranty."  At  the  same  time  he  keenly  felt  that 
the  rogue  was  crowding  him  into  a  somewhat  humiliating 
position.  Besides  discovering  who  the  thief  was,  he  desired 
both  to  bring  him  to  justice  and  recover  the  property.  Yet 
a  promise,  though  given  to  a  criminal,  must  be  kept  sacred. 
Evidence  to  convict  could  only  be  obtained  from  the  guilty 
man  himself,  and,  obtained  under  a  pledge,  could  not  honor- 
ably be  used. 

Having  walked  to  the  desk,  the  officer  picked  up  a  pen, 
and  began  :  "  This  is  to  certify  that  I  have  this  day  received 

from  William    H.    Beery,    of  Fair   Clay,    Colorado,  

ounces  of  gold  dust,  the  same  having  been  unlawfully  taken 
by  him  from  a  certain  registered  package  —  " 

The  robber,  who  was  watching  the  pen,  here  interrupted 
the  progress  of  the  work.  "Say,  it  is  not  necessary  to  put 
that  in,  is  it?" 

11  Of  course  it  is.  I  must  be  specific  in  framing  the  docu- 
ment, and  as  it  is  only  for  your  own  eye,  what  difference  can 
it  make?" 

"Well,  then,  never  mind.  I'll  take  your  word,  as  I  don't 
want  any  writing  to  lie  around  to  be  picked  up  by  some  Paul 
Pry,  and  get  a  fellow  into  trouble.  I'll  give  you  the  dust 
this  evening,  but  for  God's  sake  don't  tell  a  living  creature. 
Here  are  a  hundred  dollars  in  currency,  which  you  can  take 
now." 

The  detective  took  the  money  and  left  the  office,  chilled, 


224  KINDLING    FALSE    FIRES. 

hungry,  and  well-nigh  exhausted  by  the  struggle  which  had 
been  prolonged  with  varying  success  from  nine  or  ten  o'clock 
in  the  morning  till  three  in  the  afternoon.  Wherever  he 
went  he  was  the  "observed  of  all  observers,"  for  Jaynes  and 
Perry,  impressed  by  the  interviews  it  was  their  privilege  to 
enjoy,  freely  expressed  the  opinion  that  the  government  had 
at  last  sent  out  "  chain-lightning  itself"  to  hunt  up  the  mys- 
terious burglar. 

A  little  after  dark  he  returned  to  the  express  office,  having 
kept  up  during  the  interim  a  show  of  hot  pursuit,  in  order 
that  no  one  might  suspect  the  fact  of  discovery.  This  time 
Beery  locked  the  door.  He  then  produced  a  buckskin  bag 
containing  thirty  ounces  and  five  pennyweights  of  the  precious 
dust. 

"  Did  you  find  all  this  in  the  original  package  ?  "  inquired 
the  detective,  confidentially. 

"  All  but  the  five  ounces  of  retorted  dust  which  I  was  buy- 
ing when  you  came  in  this  morning." 

"What  gulch  is  it  from?" 

w  Why,  from  California  Gulch,  of  course." 

"  So  far  so  good,"  thought  the  officer,  as  he  thrust  the 
package  into  his  pocket. 

"  I  can  have  the  balance  by  the  ist  of  December,  or  cer- 
tainly by  Christmas,"  said  the  burglar,  who  began  to  figure 
on  the  amount  still  due,  for  he  was  honest  now.  "  It  will  be 
about  six  hundred  dollars  in  currency,  which  I  will  send  to 
you." 

w  Instead  of  remitting  the  money,"  suggested  the  agent, 
"  cannot  you  meet  me  in  Denver,  and  deliver  it  in  person  ?  " 

It  was  finally  agreed  that  they  should  meet  there,  at  the 
Tremont  House,  on  the  loth  of  January,  when  the  balance 
of  the  stolen  property,  or  its  value,  was  to  be  paid  over. 
Having  finished  the  business  arrangements,  the  burglar  sat 
down  and  told  the  story  of  the  robbery.  In  substance  it  ran 
thus : — 

"  At  the  time  I  was  terribly  pressed  for  money.     I  gave  the 


HOW    HE    COMMITTED    THE    ROBBERY.  225 

party  to  get  Jaynes  away  from  the  post-office,  anticipating 
that  the  mail,  as  usual,  would  contain  one  or  more  valuable 
packages.  The  fruit  was  forgotten  purposely.  On  my  way 
back  I  slipped  up  behind  some  boxes,  which  I  had  piled  up 
the  previous  day  as  a  screen,  raised  the  window  from  the 
outside,  and  actually  crawled  through  the  small  opening.  In 
a  moment  I  seized  the  package,  and  was  out  again.  On  the 
way  to  the  house  I  passed  by  the  stable,  and  tossed  it  into  the 
manger  of  a  vacant  stall.  As  soon  as  the  company  dispersed 
I  broke  it  open,  and  hid  the  contents  in  an  adjacent  lot,  mov- 
ing them  several  times  afterwards.  In  preparing  for  the  search 
of  the  post-office,  I  placed  the  package-envelope  next  to  my 
flesh,  so  that  when  I  pulled  off  my  coat  and  vest,  no  one  sus- 
pected what  was  hidden  under  my  tight-fitting  flannel.  I 
raised  the  trap-door,  and,  going  part  way  down,  told  the 
boys  they  would  have  to  have  a  candle.  While  they  were 
lighting  it,  I  pulled  out  the  envelope,  and  threw  it  as  far  as 
I  could  in  the  dark,  and  of  course  avoided  going  near  that 
part  of  the  cellar  myself.  The  sheriff  found  it  as  I  intended 
he  should.  The  rest  you  know,  Furay,  better  than  I  can 
tell  you." 

The  next  morning  the  special  agent  left  Fair  Play,  and 
reached  Denver  November  ist,  at  daybreak.  After  a  short 
nap  he  hunted  up  Judge  Bennett  and  the  departmental  officer 
before  alluded  to,  and  pulling  out  the  buckskin  bag,  displayed 
his  trophies  of  conquest.  They  were  delighted  and  astonished, 
for,  with  all  their  faith  in  the  skill  of  the  detective,  neither  en- 
tertained the  most  remote  expectation  that  he  would  return 
with  the  stolen  property. 

The  secret  was  intrusted  to  these  two  gentlemen,  with 
strict  injunctions  to  tell  no  one  except  Dramful,  till  the  six 
hundred  dollars  still  due  were  safely  in  hand.  It  was  neces- 
sary to  inform  him,  as  he  contemplated  arresting  Jaynes  on 
returning  from  New  Mexico,  — a  catastrophe  to  be  averted  at 
all  hazards. 

According  to  agreement,  the  officer  called  at  the  Tremont; 
15 


226  KINDLING    FALSE    FIRES. 

House,  in  Denver,  on  the  loth  of  January,  but  Beery  failed 
to  keep  the  engagement.  He  had  been  there,  and  left.  Mean- 
while, through  the  imprudence  and  ill-temper  of  Dramful,  the 
secret  had  leaked  out,  and  the  burglar,  overwhelmed  with 
shame  and  confusion,  resolved,  if  possible,  to  carry  the  work 
of  restitution  no  further.  On  the  i6th,  however,  he  turned 
up  in  person,  and  insisted  that  the  special  agent  should  ac- 
company him  to  the  office  of  his  lawyer ;  and  he,  with  some 
reluctance,  finally  consented.  There,  by  adroit  management 
in  directing  the  current  of  the  conference,  the  detective  drew 
the  robber  on  to  tell  the  whole  story  of  the  crime  in  the  pres- 
ence of  his  own  counsel,  a  circumstance  likely  to  embarrass 
somewhat  the  flow  of  his  eloquence  if  ever  compelled  to  plead 
in  defense  of  his  client.  Again  the  officer  demanded  the  six 
hundred  dollars,  but,  put  off  with  evasive  answers,  soon  dis- 
covered that  the  burglar  and  his  advisers  were  determined  not 
to  refund  another  cent. 

As  the  criminal  had  broken  the  agreement,  the  special  agent 
argued  that  he  was  no  longer  bound  by  his  own  conditional 
promise,  and  hence  decided  to  bring  the  case  before  the  grand 
jury  the  next  day,  the  district  attorney  preparing  the  indict- 
ments that  night  so  as  to  have  them  in  readiness.  Arrange- 
ments were  made  to  shadow  Beery,  so  that  he  might  have  no 
opportunity  for  escape. 

That  night  the  special  agent  accepted  an  invitation  from 
Beery  to  occupy  the  same  room  and  bed.  Before  retiring,  the 
burglar  took  a  package  from  his  valise  with  so  much  agitation 
and  effort  at  concealment,  that  his  companion  made  him  give 
it  up,  and  found  it  to  be  a  bottle  of  crystallized  strychnine. 
What  use  he  intended  to  make  of  the  poison  the  fellow  would 
not  confess,  but  the  discovery  had  a  very  wakening  influence 
on  the  officer,  who  never  slept  an  instant,  not  knowing  at 
what  moment  the  poniard  of  the  assassin  might  strike  his 
heart. 

About  noon  the  next  day  the  special  agent  told  the  story  of 
the  robbery  to  the  grand  jury,  and  was  followed  by  Mr.  H. 


IN  JAIL    AT    LAST. 


227 


A.  W.  Tabor,  of  Oro  City,  the  capitalist  who  remitted  the 
dust.  The  latter  identified  the  gold  as  a  portion  of  the  con- 
tents of  the  stolen  package,  recognizing  several  nuggets,  and 
especially  one  which,  on  account  of  its  peculiar  color,  he  had 
carried  a  long  time  in  his  pocket.  The  indictments  were  duly 
found,  and  the  capias  issued. 

Meeting  the  criminal  about  dark  at  the  hotel,  the  special 


'•  Officer,  here  is  your  man ;  do  your  duty." 

agent  said,  "Well,  Billy  Beery,  I  have  kept  my  part  of  the 
agreement.  I  came  at  the  time  set.  You  were  not  here.  I 
waited  six  days,  and  when  you  did  come,  you  failed  to  fulfill 
your  promise.  Officer,"  turning  to  a  deputy  marshal,  who 
contrived  to  stand  conveniently  near,  "  here  is  your  man  ;  do 
your  duty."  So  at  last,  on  the  iyth  of  January,  1872,  the 
robber  went  to  jail  for  his  crimes. 

By  virtue  of  marriage  relationships  the  prisoner  had  the 
support  of  wealthy   and  influential  friends.      Through  their 


228  KINDLING    FALSE    FIRES. 

exertions,  bail  for  five  thousand  dollars  was  given,  and  the 
case  continued  till  the  April  term.  Meanwhile  they  also  de- 
posited six  hundred  dollars  with  the  First  National  Bank  of 
Denver,  "  To  the  credit  of  the  Treasurer  of  the  United  States, 
for  the  relief  of  persons  suffering  from  the  robbery  of  the  mails 
at  Fair  Play,  by  (as  alleged)  Wm.  H.  Beery." 

A  prominent  lawyer  of  the  territory  then  hastened  to  Wash- 
ington to  procure  from  the  attorney-general  that  deadly  im- 
plement of  partiality  and  injustice,  a  nolle  -pros.,  predicating 
the  appeal  on  the  claim  that  full  restitution  had  been  made. 
Getting  wind  of  the  movement,  the  special  agent  followed  in 
hot  haste,  and  succeeded  in  frustrating  the  plot. 

From  Washington  the  officer  hurried  back  to  Denver,  to 
see  what  shape  the  deposit  of  six  hundred  dollars  was  in.  The 
mouths  of  the  lawyers  were  fairly  watering  for  the  juicy  plum, 
but  the  special  agent  was  resolved  that  their  palates  should 
never  be  gratified  by  a  taste  of  the  fruit.  After  a  long  strug- 
gle the  deposit  was  transferred  from  the  bank  to  the  United 
States  treasury,  where  it  lodged  for  several  months.  It  was  sub- 
sequently turned  over  to  the  postmaster-general,  who,  through 
Mr.  Furay,  paid  it  to  the  parties  that  had  been  robbed. 

Again  the  case  was  postponed  from  the  April  term  till  No- 
vember. The  trial  then  took  place  and  lasted  three  days. 
The  prisoner  was  convicted  and  sentenced  to  imprisonment 
for  five  years  ;  but  his  counsel  moved  for  a  new  trial  on  points 
of  law,  and  the  motion  was  sustained. 

Once  more  the  battle-field  was  transferred  from  Colorado  to 
Washington,  and  in  this  instance  a  powerful  combination  suc- 
ceeded in  persuading  Attorney-General  Williams  to  order  a 
nolle  -pros.  ;  and  thus  ignominiously  ended  the  case.  The 
special  agent  made  a  prolonged  and  heroic  fight,  leaving  no 
effort  untried  to  secure  for  justice  her  dues ;  but  a  hand 
heavier  than  his  barred  the  prison-door  from  within. 

In  the  interests  of  this  case,  Mr.  Furay  made  thirteen  round 
trips  from  Omaha  to  Denver,  and  it  cost  him  in  all  over  ten 
thousand  miles  of  travel.  When  the  final  record  of  us  all  is 
made  up,  he  can  certainly  claim  that  he  did  his  full  duty. 


in  the  year  1870  the 
postmaster  at  Chicago  re- 
ceived a   registered   letter 
from  an  office  in  the  inte- 
rior of  Iowa,  which,  according 
to  the  descriptive  circular  in- 
closed, should  have  started  on 
the  journey  with  seven  hundred 
dollars'    surplus    money-order 
funds,  but  which  arrived  at  its 
destination  despoiled  of  its  val- 
uable contents.    He  immediate- 
ly wrote  to  the  remitter,  stating 
the  facts,  and  suggesting  that 
possibly  through  oversight  he 
had   neglected  to   inclose   the 
bills.  An  answer  was  promptly 
returned  that  there  could  be  no 
mistake,  as  the  work  was  done 
••And  you  are  the  man  who  robbed  deliberately  in  the  presence  of 

that  registered  letter."  J 

a  witness.  The  remitter  de- 
sired to  know  if  his  presence  in  Chicago  would  facilitate  the 
investigation. 

The  case  was  now  reported  by  Chicago  to  special  agent 
J.  S.  Beard.  Without  loss  of  time,  Mr.  Beard  hastened  to 
Iowa,  and  dropped  down  as  if  by  accident  upon  the  mailing 


230  PLUG-TOBACCO. 

office.  After  inspecting  the  accounts,  he  inquired  of  Mr. 
George  W.  Jacobs,  the  postmaster,  whether  there  were  any 
losses  of  registered  or  unregistered  matter  to  report.  When 
informed  of  the  package  received  at  Chicago  in  a  rifled  con- 
dition, the  officer  expressed  surprise,  and  proceeded  to  draw 
out  the  more  superficial  particulars.  Without  reserve  or  eva- 
sion, Jacobs  gave  the  amount  of  the  remittance,  the  name  of 
the  witness,  a  description  of  the  bills,  the  date  of  dispatch,  and 
the  route  of  transmission. 

On  inquiry,  the  postmaster  was  found  to  stand  high  in  the 
community.  He  was  a  prominent  member  of  the  church,  and, 
besides  other  trusts,  had  filled  the  responsible  position  of 
township  treasurer. 

The  officer  then  called  upon  Mr.  T.  J.  Drummond,  the 
witness,  who  stated  that  he  was  present  when  Jacobs  made 
up  the  package,  and  saw  him  inclose  therein  seven  hundred 
dollars.  If  one  could  trust  the  testimony  of  the  senses,  there 
could  be  no  mistake  about  the  matter.  At  the  suggestion  of 
the  special  agent  he  made  a  written  affidavit,  setting  forth  the 
facts. 

Personal  inquiry  at  the  village  bank  elicited  the  further  in- 
formation that  on  the  day  of  mailing,  Jacobs  exchanged  other 
currency  for  three  bills,  one  of  five  hundred  dollars,  and  two 
of  one  hundred  dollars  each.  At  the  same  time,  as  shown  by 
the  books,  he  owed  the  government  just  seven  hundred  dollars 
on  money-order  account.  So  far  the  essential  statement  of  the 
postmaster  seemed  to  be  corroborated  by  the  collateral  cir- 
cumstances attending  the  transaction. 

From  this  point,  mails  take  a  zigzag  course  to  Chicago, 
passing  over  one  stage  line  and  three  different  railroads.  At 
that  time  they  were  also  delayed  in  transit  at  three  intermedi- 
ate offices.  The  special  agent  followed  the  package  over  the 
route,  inspecting  records  and  scrutinizing  men,  but  found 
nothing  on  the  way  to  justify  the  slightest  suspicion.  The 
receiving  clerk  at  Chicago,  though  young,  enjoyed  a  high 
reputation,  commanding  the  entire  confidence  of  every  one. 


23I 

Well-nigh  disheartened,  the  officer  again  examined  the  reg- 
istered package  envelope,  and  in  the  upper  right-hand  corner 
of  the  flap  discovered  little  particles  of  plug-tobacco,  evidently 
deposited  from  the  tongue  while  moistening  the  mucilage. 
Here  was  a  clue  which  might  lead  to  the  detection  of  the 
robber.  The  "tracer"  revealed  the  name  of  every  person 
who  handled  the  letter  in  transit,  and  the  next  step  was.  to  find 
which  one  of  these  used  "  the  weed"  in  that  form. 

Going  back  over  the  line,  the  special  agent  interviewed  the 
clerks  and  route  agents  seriatim,  calling  on  each  for  a  "  chew," 
and  finding  that  all  who  used  the  article  at  all,  used  "fine-cut." 
At  length,  on  a  raw  December  day,  he  alighted  from  the  stage 
at  the  door  of  the  mailing  office,  thoroughly  chilled,  and,  without 
waiting  to  warm,  so  anxious  was  he  for  the  result,  after  the 
exchange  of  greetings,  drew  out  an  empty  tobacco  pouch,  and 
casting  a  wistful  look  upon  its  naked  linings,  remarked,  "Mr. 
Jacobs,  can  you  give  me  a  chew?  I'm  out." 

"  O,  yes,"  replied  the  obliging  postmaster,  producing  a 
ponderous  "  twist "  from  the  depths  of  his  pocket ;  "  but  I  do  not 
think  you  will  like  my  kind.  I  use  plug." 

"  So  I  see ;  and  you  are  the  man  who  robbed  that  registered 
letter  of  seven  hundred  dollars,"  answered  the  special  agent, 
unconsciously  injecting  into  the  tones  of  his  voice  the  indigna- 
tion and  wrath  which  had  been  for  several  days  accumulating. 
The  explosion  came  so  unexpectedly  that  the  concussion  nearly 
extinguished  the  postmaster. 

Rallying  from  the  shot,  he  replied,  "You  detectives  have 
seared  consciences  to  charge  honest  men  with  guilt."  • 

"No  one  knows  better  than  yourself,"  retorted  the  special 
agent,  "  that  I  bring  no  false  charge  against  you.  I  speak  the 
truth,  and  in  due  time  can  prove  my  words.  You  still  have  the 
money  :  it  belongs  to  the  government,  and  I  must  have  it." 

After  listening  to  further  denials,  the  officer  took  out  his 
watch,  with  the  remark,  "  I  will  give  you  just  ten  minutes  to 
produce  the  bills.  If  you  fail,  you  must  take  the  consequences. 
A  word  to  the  wise  is  sufficient." 


232 


PLUG-TOBACCO. 


Turning  alternately  red  and  white,  Jacobs  implored  the 
privilege  of  visiting  his  wife  and  infant  child.  "You  can  go," 
said  the  officer;  "but  I  must  accompany  you." 

After  a  walk  of  half  a  mile,  they  entered  together  the  hum- 
ble home  of  the  postmaster,  where  the  troublesome  guest  was 
invited  to  a  seat  in  the  parlor.  The  room  was  scantily  fur- 
nished, presenting  few  objects  to  attract  the  eye. 

The  narrative  of  what  followed,  bears  a  strong  family  re- 
semblance, it  must  be  admitted,  to  the  cheap  inventions  of 
fiction,  but  is,  nevertheless,  strictly  true.  Embarrassed  by  the 
painful  novelty  of  the  situation,  Mr.  Beard  nervously  picked  up 

an  old-fashioned  daguerre- 
otype case  lying  upon 
the  table.  As  the  watch- 
ful eye  of  the  postmaster 
caught  the  movement,  a 
deadly  pallor  overspread 
his  face,  and  so  strong  was 
his  emotion  that  he  nearly 
tottered  to  the  floor.  At 
that  instant  his  wife  with 
a  young  infant  entered  the 
room,  when,  with  a  half 
insane  gesture,  the  hus- 
band tried  to  wave  her 
back  as  if  from  the  edge 
of  an  abyss. 

These  extraordinary  ac- 
tions heightened  the  per- 
ceptions of  the  special 
agent.  Removing  the  pic- 
ture from  the  case,  he 
found  secreted  behind  it, 
one  five  and  two  one  hun- 
dred dollar  notes  —  the 
identical  money  obtained  from  the  bank  for  transmission  in  the 
rifled  letter. 


"  Removing  the  picture,  ...  he  found  se- 
creted behind  it,  one  five  and  two  one- 
hundred  dollar  notes." 


A   PLEA    FOR    MERCY.  233 

The  dishonest  and  ruined  man  now  pleaded  earnestly  for 
mercy,  on  the  grounds  of  faithful  service  during  the  war,  and 
the  helpless  condition  of  his  family.  He  alleged  that,  though 
intrusted  with  large  sums  of  money,  he  had  never  stolen  be- 
fore, and  could  not  explain  why  in  this  instance  he  had  been 
so  weak  as  to  yield  to  temptation.  He  continued  :  "  I  have  an 
almost  angel  wife  and  innocent  babe.  For  their  sake  do  not 
disgrace  me  before  the  world.  I  enlisted  in  the  beginning  of 
the  war,  and  lost  a  leg  in  the  advance  on  Atlanta,  having  been 

wounded  twice  before.  Ask  General  B what  my  standing 

was  in  the  army  and  at  home,  but  do  not  mention  this  trans- 
action. I  could  never  look  him  in  the  face  again  if  he  knew 
how  I  have  abused  the  confidence  he  always  reposed  in  me." 

The  matter  was  referred  to  the  department,  and  through  the 
active  exertions  of  one  or  two  former  comrades,  a  stay  of  pro- 
ceedings was  secured.  As  the  previous  character  of  Jacobs 
had  been  blameless,  old  associates  argued  that  he  must  have 
sinned  through  some  real,  but  hidden  and  unsuspected  mental 
infirmity.  At  all  events,  the  department  was  strongly  disposed 
toward  the  exercise  of  clemency,  and  as  the  money  was  re- 
covered, the  case  finally  drifted  out  of  sight  without  coming 
before  the  courts. 

The  agony  of  the  faithless  official,  growing  out  of  the  dread 
of  exposure  not  less  than  the  fear  of  punishment,  and  colored 
somewhat,  it  is  to  be  hoped,  by  the  sorrows  of  genuine  peni- 
tence, found  expression  in  a  letter  addressed  to  the  special 
agent  while  the  question  of  criminal  prosecution  was  still 
pending. 

w  MY  DEAR  SIR  :  I  write  you  to  plead  your  continued  mercy 
for  the  sake  of  my  family.  You  have  been  very  kind  to  me. 
Please  do  not  crush  me  now,  but  continue  your  mercy. 

"  Mr.  Drumrnond  came  in  this  evening.  I  told  him  I  was 
forced  by  the  peculiar  circumstances  in  which  I  was  placed  to 
resign,  and  asked  him  to  keep  it  to  himself,  and  let  it  pass  for 
a  voluntary  resignation.  He  promised  to  do  so.  Now  please 


234  PLUG-TOBACCO. 

do  not  write  to  Mr.  Drummond  in  regard  to  my  confession,  or 
the  manner  in  which  the  affair  terminated/' 

At  the  time  of  mailing  the  rifled  letter,  Jacobs  deceived  the 
witness  by  adroitly  substituting  a  fac-simile  envelope,  prepared 
for  the  purpose,  in  the  place  of  the  one  containing  the  seven 
hundred  dollars.  By  the  admission  of  the  postmaster,  the  orig- 
inal was  afterward  burned. 

From  the  day  of  detection  onward,  the  demon  of  unrest 
seemed  to  hold  possession  of  the  poor  sinner.  His  little  home, 
that  might  have  been  a  paradise  radiant  with  the  happiness 
which  flows  in  perennial  streams  from  purity  and  virtue,  was 
soon  broken  up.  Overwhelmed  by  the  disgrace,  he  could 
not  endure  the  humiliation  of  going  in  and  out  in  the  presence 
of  neighbors  who  had  known  him  in  the  days  of  innocence 
and  peace.  He  became  a  wanderer  on  the  face  of  the  earth, 
drifting  aimlessly  from  place  to  place,  and  living  in  continual 
fear  that  the  officers  of  justice  were  on  his  track. 


tERILS  to  correspondence 
are  by  no  means  restricted 
to  the  periods  when  letters 
are  in  the  actual  custody  of  the 
postal  authorities.  Although 
there  is  no  method  for  arriv- 
ing at  exact  proportions,  it  is 
safe  to  say  that,  in  cities  like 
New  York,  far  greater  loss 
and  annoyance  are  caused  by 
depredations  occurring  out- 
side of  the  office  than  within, 
through  the  dishonesty  of  the 
messengers  employed  by  cor- 
porations and  business  houses. 
Often,  too,  the  most  aggravat- 
ing impediments  are  thrown 
in  the  way  of  the  officers  who 
undertake  the  detection  of  the 
culprits,  on  account  of  the  per- 
tinacity with  which  the  suffer- 
ers insist  that  the  trouble  can- 
not possibly  originate  among 
their  own  employes.  As  shown  by  innumerable  examples,  there 
is  a  painful  readiness  in  such  cases  to  denounce  the  whole 
post-office  establishment  as  a  den  of  thieves,  and  at  the  same 
time  an  invincible  repugnance  to  the  acceptance  of  any  theory 
that  would  locate  the  leak  nearer  home.  The  same  law  of 


Merchants,  bankers,  and  others,  do 
not  hesitate  to  commit  the  custody 
of  their  mails  to  mere  boys." 


236  UNFAITHFUL    MESSENGERS. 

human  nature  which  leads  a  man  to  regard  his  own  wife  and 
child  as  the  best,  embraces,  in  a  greater  or  less  degree,  every 
person  and  object  connected  with  his  establishment.  When 
compared  with  the  external  horde,  even  the  half-paid  errand- 
boy  borrows  a  glory  from  the  countenance  of  his  master. 

Merchants,  bankers,  and  others,  whose  wits  have  been 
sharpened  by  innumerable  conflicts  in  the  battle  of  life,  and 
who  learn  with  rare  skill  to  trust  important  undertakings  to 
the  guaranty  of  faces,  do  not  hesitate  to  commit  the  custody  of 
their  mails  to  mere  boys,  whose  services  are  hardly  deemed 
worthy  of  pecuniary  recognition.  As  a  class,  these  messen- 
gers are  overworked  and  under-paid.  Not  a  few  are  the  sons 
of  widows,  whose  sustenance,  with  that  of  younger  brothers 
and  sisters,  is  drawn  in  part  from  their  meagre  wages.  Occa- 
sionally the  pressure  of  home  poverty,  favored  by  abundant 
opportunities  to  steal,  overcomes  the  scruples  of  conscience. 
Far  more  frequently,  however,  the  erring  fall  through  ambition 
to  rival  associates  in  dress  and  outward  show,  or  to  procure 
means  for  vicious  indulgences. 

It  would  require  several  pages  even  to  catalogue  the  outside 
delinquents  apprehended  by  special  agent  Sharretts  in  New 
York  city  during  the  past  few  years.  Notwithstanding  the 
difficulties  to  be  overcome  in  conducting  many  operations  simul- 
taneously, the  methods  of  that  officer  are  so  perfected  as  to  be 
well-nigh  infallible.  A  few  cases  will  show  how  the  experience 
was  acquired,  and  how  the  work  is  accomplished.  Similar 
detections  are  taking  place  in  other  cities  also,  but  New  York 
is  the  great  metropolis  of  rascality  as  well  as  of  commerce. 

THROUGH  THE  TILES. 

A  very  indignant  sufferer  was  Rev.  Theophilus  Boanerges, 
D.  D.,  managing  editor  of  a  leading  religious  newspaper.  In 
the  columns  of  the  "Behemoth"  he  thundered  against  the  in- 
iquities of  the  post-office  establishment,  and  groaned  in  spirit 
over  the  multiplying  evidences  of  modern  corruption  and  de- 
generacy. Patrons  were  warned  not  to  intrust  remittances  for 


HE  WOULD  NOT  BE  CONVINCED.  237 

subscriptions  or  advertisements  to  the  mails.  The  doctor  also 
called  upon  Mr.  Sharretts,  and  though  his  strictures  were  severe 
and  obviously  unreasonable,  he  was  treated  with  the  consider- 
ation due  to  the  cloth,  and  assured  that  no  effort  should  be 
spared  to  bring  the  offender  to  justice. 

It  soon  appeared  that  in  the  employment  of  the  newspaper 
was  a  lad  about  sixteen  years  of  age,  — •  a  marked  favorite  of 
the  doctor,  —  whose  multifarious  duties  embraced  the  carriage 
of  the  mails  to  and  from  the  post-office.  As  the  losses  in  that 
locality  were  confined  to  the  correspondence  of  the  "Behe- 
moth," the  special  agent  began  to  observe  closely  the  move- 
ments of  the  messenger,  and  soon  became  convinced  that  he 
was  following  the  right  trail.  Desiring  the  co-operation  of  the 
complainant,  he  called  at  the  editorial  rooms  to  expound  his 
theory,  and  lay  out  a  plan  of  operations.  "  Sir,"  said  the 
indignant  divine,  interrupting  the  story,  "you  are  wholly 
wrong.  The  boy  is  honest,  and  commands  my  entire  con- 
fidence. The  trouble  is  in  your  post-office.  There  you  must 
look  to  find  it.  To  hunt  here  is  an  idle  waste  of  time." 

"  I  beg  leave  to  differ,"  remonstrated  the  officer.  "  I  have 
examined  the  facts  bearing  on  the  case,  and  can  come  to  but 
one  conclusion.  I  think  I  can  make  the  matter  clear  to  your 
mind  also." 

"  Impossible  !  "  interrupted  the  doctor.  "There  are  but  two 
keys  to  the  box.  I  keep  one  myself,  and  the  other  is  in  the 
possession  of  the  postal  clerk  who  handles  our  letters.  The 
boy  could  not  steal  them  if  he  desired." 

Seeing  that  no  voluntary  aid  was  to  be  expected  from  the 
editor,  the  special  agent  withdrew,  but  by  means  of  other 
assistance  learned  the  routine  of  the  office. 

The  mail  for  the  paper  was  delivered  to  the  boy  in  a  locked 
box.  This  he  took  to  the  editorial  room — a  cosy  apartment, 
located  over  a  bank  —  and  deposited  on  the  table  unviolated, 
so  far  as  could  be  seen  by  such  cursory  observation  as  the 
internal  arrangement  of  the  building  would  permit.  Light 
was  admitted  from  above  through  a  ceiling  formed  of  glass 
tiles,  each  about  two  feet  square. 


238  UNFAITHFUL    MESSENGERS. 

As  the  divine  invariably  opened  the  mail  in  person,  and 
would  not  listen  to  any  plan  of  procedure  that  implied  the  dis- 
honesty of  the  messenger,  it  became  necessary  to  secure  his 
co-operation  by  stratagem.  Again  the  special  agent  sought  the 
editorial  sanctum,  remarking,  with  an  air  suggestive  of  an  im- 
portant but  somewhat  unpleasant  discovery,  "Good  morning, 
doctor.  On  looking  the  field  over  more  carefully,  I  must 
admit  that  your  views  may,  after  all,  be  right." 

"Didn't  I  tell  you  so  at  the  outset?  "  rejoined  the  thunderer, 
triumphantly  and  cordially,  as  if  his  opinion  of  the  acumen  of 
the  officer  had  improved  manyfold  since  the  last  interview. 

"Yes,  doctor,  you  did.  I  surrender  unconditionally.  I  am 
after  the  clerk  who  makes  up  the  box  for  your  boy  Harry. 
Now,  I  want  you  to  make  lists  of  the  letters  received  by  each 
mail,  and  to  send  them  quietly  to  my  office.  On  comparing 
these  with  other  lists  taken  before  the  letters  are  delivered  into 
the  hands  of  the  clerk,  any  discrepancies  will  immediately 
appear.  But  don't  say  anything  to  Harry.  Boys  are  boys, 
and  the  secret  might  leak  out  —  perhaps  reach  the  ear  of  the 
suspected  clerk." 

M  Trust  that  to  me,"  replied  the  editor.  "  I  will  follow  your 
instructions  fully." 

On  receipt  of  the  third  list,  a  number  of  letters  were  found 
to  be  missing.  As  they  had  been  traced  directly  into  the 
custody  of  Harry  the  errand-boy,  the  last  doubt  was  now 
removed  respecting  the  identity  of  the  thief,  he  alone  being  in 
a  position  to  intercept  the  missives  before  they  reached  the 
hands  of  the  reverend  gentleman  himself. 

At  the  request  of  the  special  agent,  the  bank  authorities 
caused  one  of  the  glass  tiles  over  the  editorial  table  to  be 
slightly  raised  in  the  night ;  and  the  next  morning,  accom- 
panied by  a  policeman  in  plain  clothes,  he  brought  his  eye  to 
the  aperture  to  observe  what  might  happen  below.  A  num- 
ber of  letters  of  seductive  aspect,  specially  prepared  for  the 
occasion,  had  been  placed  in  the  box  in  addition  to  the  regu- 
lar mail. 


THE    VIEW    FROM    ABOVE, 


239 


The  watchman  did  not  have 
long  to  tarry.  Approaching 
footsteps  were  heard,  and  the 
jidus  Achates  of  the  trustful 
proprietor  entered  the  room, 
whistling  for  company.  The 
door  was  carefully  closed,  and 
the  box  deposited  on  a  table, 
or  desk,  in  full  view  of  the  out- 
look above.  The  movements 
of  the  youth,  though  a  little 
nervous,  showed  no  lack  of 
confidence. 

"  A  cautious  look  around  he  stole, 

His  bags  of  chink  he  chunk; 
And  many  a  wicked  smile  he  smole, 
And  many  a  wink  he  wunk." 

Suddenly  the  "music  "  ceased, 
and  the  lad  struck  an  attitude  of 
attention.  Not  a  sound  broke 
the  deep  silence  save  the  sub- 
dued rumble  of  wheels  in  the 
street.  In  an  instant  the  stat- 
uesque figure  seemed  to  be- 
come unjointed,  each  limb  and 
muscle  having  an  independent 
life.  The  dexter  hand  came 
down  upon  the  epigastrium  with 
a  gesture  suggestive  of  inward 
pain.  The  left  hand  quickly 
followed,  as  if  the  paroxysm 
was  increasing.  Then  a  jolly 
whistle  escaped  involuntarily. 
Boys  don't  whistle  in  that  way 
when  suffering  from  severe  in- 


The  Youthful  Protege. 


240  UNFAITHFUL    MESSENGERS. 

ternal  disorders.  By  this  time  it  was  quite  evident  that  some- 
thing of  mysterious  importance  lay  concealed  beneath  the 
tight-fitting  bands  of  his  garments.  Could  it  be  a  package 
of  letters?  Speculation  was  soon  set  at  rest.  A  vigorous  tug 
brought  up  from  the  fob  in  the  outgrown  pants  a  large  silver 
watch.  The  possessor  gazed  lovingly  upon  the  treasure,  and 
placing  it  over  his  right  ear,  listened  in  rapt  delight  to  the 
music  of  the  tick.  After  petting  the  watch  a  few  seconds,  the 
lad  restored  it  to  its  hiding-place. 

Obviously  the  ownership  of  the  article  was  a  profound 
secret,  carefully  guarded.  Hence,  in  all  probability,  it  had 
been  purchased  surreptitiously  with  stolen  funds. 

After  the  close  of  the  first  act  in  the  drama,  the  boy  listened 
again  for  a  minute,  and  then  walking  to  the  desk,  opened  a 
drawer  and  took  out  a  key  with  which  the  box  was  quickly 
unlocked.  Running  through  the  contents,  he  abstracted  sev- 
eral letters,  and  placed  them  in  a  side-pocket.  The  box  was 
then  relocked,  and  the  key  restored  to  the  proper  drawer  —  the 
only  key  in  the  office  —  the  key  in  the  exclusive  possession  of 
the  thunderer,  who  had  hurled  so  many  flaming  bolts  into  the 
encampments  of  the  post-office  department. 

Hurrying  down  from  the  post  of  observation,  the  agent 
with  his  assistant  sought  the  editor  to  compare  lists,  and  of 
course  found  several  letters  to  be  missing.  "  You  have  caught 
that  rascally  post-office  clerk  this  time,  and  I  shall  insist  that 
he  receive  the  full  penalty  of  the  law,  both  as  a  punishment 
and  as  a  warning,"  remarked  the  doctor,  gleefully,  well  pleased 
at  the  complete  vindication  of  his  own  judgment. 

"Just  so,"  replied  the  officer.  "Now,  let  Harry  go  along 
with  me  to  identify  the  clerk  from  whom  he  received  the  box. 
We  must  guard  every  point,  and  suffer  no  slips  to  occur." 

The  youthful  prot£g£  was  accordingly  directed  to  accom- 
pany the  special  agent,  and  was  favored  by  his  employer  with 
various  wise  and  solemn  instructions  in  reference  to  the  part 
he  was  to  play.  Without  manifesting  the  least  suspicion  or 
reluctance,  the  boy  started ;  but  when  about  half  the  distance  to 


AN    EFFORT    TO    UNLOAD.  24! 

the  post-office  had  been  accomplished,  a  new  light  seemed  to 
break  upon  him.  Surmising  that  all  was  not  well  with  him, 
too  late  he  tried  to  unload  by  dropping  the  proofs  of  guilt  in  a 
wayside  ash-box.  The  little  manoeuvre  failed  lamentably. 
Boy  and  booty  were  taken  on  together. 

On  reaching  the  office  of  the  special  agent,  the  thief,  after 
brief  resistance,  confessed,  and  wrote  out  a  full  statement  of  his 
long-continued  peculations.  Doctor  Boanerges  was  then  sent 
for.  When  informed  of  the  issue  of  the  investigation,  he  was 
struck  dumb  with  amazement  and  chagrin,  —  amazement  at  the 
defection  of  the  trusted  messenger,  chagrin  at  the  terrible  col- 
lapse of  his  favorite  theory.  Perhaps  the  specters  of  bloody 
editorials  rose  from  the  grave  to  shake  their  gory  locks  at  him. 
It  is  hard  for  a  man  of  autocratic  habits  of  mind  to  admit  that 
he  has  erred,  and  erred  grievously.  This,  however,  the  good 
doctor  did,  and  since  that  day  he  has  been  a  firm  believer  in 
the  general  integrity  of  postal  employes,  and  especially  in  the 
superior  judgment  of  its  agents. 

The  jurisdiction  of  the  department  ceases  with  the  delivery 
of  letters  to  the  owner,  or  his  accredited  agent ;  hence  the 
penalties  for  embezzlement  do  not  reach  cases  of  this  kind. 
The  offense  becomes  larceny,  cognizable  only  in  the  state 
courts.  Accordingly  the  youth  was  turned  over  to  the  tender 
mercies  of  his  employer,  who,  on  tearful  promises  of  amend- 
ment, finally  forgave  the  culprit.  Happily  the  clemency  was 
not  misplaced.  From  that  day  the  character  of  the  boy  was 
radically  changed,  and  to  the  world  he  is  now  known  as  a 
useful  and  respected  man. 

THE  SCION  OF  A  WEALTHY  HOUSE. 

Some  time  after  the  incidents  narrated  above,  a  courteous 
gentleman  of  mature  years  dropped  into  the  office  of  Mr.  Shar- 
retts,  and  produced  a  long  catalogue  of  grievances.  He  was 
a  partner  in  one  of  the  largest  and  most  reputable  publish- 
ing-houses in  the  city.  The  business  ramifications  of  the 
establishment  reached  all  parts  of  the  country,  and  extended 
16 


242  UNFAITHFUL  MESSENGERS. 

to  foreign  nations  also.  As  a  consequence,  its  correspondence 
was  very  heavy,  including  many  cash  orders  of  from  one  to 
five  or  six  dollars  each,  for  the  different  works  issued  from 
its  presses.  For  several  months  the  mails  of  the  firm  had  been 
systematically  plundered,  till  the  evil  had  now  become  un- 
bearable. Not  only  were  they  suffering  heavy  pecuniary 
losses,  but  in  reputation  also.  Customers  in  the  country, 
whose  confidence  in  the  mails  had  never  been  shaken  by  un- 
toward experiences,  were  in  many  cases  writing  bitter  words 
of  complaint,  laying  all  the  blame  upon  the  house.  It  was 
bad  enough  to  lose  the  money,  but  more  aggravating  by  far 
to  be  held  accountable  for  the  misdeeds  of  others,  especially 
where  redress  seemed  to  be  impracticable.  From  the  wide 
distribution  of  the  complaints,  the  gentleman  argued  that  the 
trouble  must  be  in  the  New  York  office,  and  urged  that  im- 
mediate steps  be  taken  for  the  detection  of  the  criminal. 

The  special  agent  entered  at  once  on  the  investigation. 
Here,  as  before,  the  facts  all  pointed  to  the  messenger  of  the 
firm,  while  the  antecedents  and  circumstances  of  the  youth 
seemed  with  equal  emphasis  to  contradict  the  evidence.  He 
was  the  scion  of  a  wealthy  family,  whose  services  were  re- 
warded with  no  pecuniary  recompense,  instruction  in  the 
mysteries  of  the  business  being  accepted  in  lieu  of  more  ma- 
terial compensation.  The  habits  of  the  lad  were  observed 
at  first  casually,  and  then  critically.  Receiving  the  mails  at 
the  delivery  window,  he  went  directly  home,  losing  no  time 
by  the  way.  A  count  of  the  letters  was  kept  at  each  end  of 
the  line,  and  daily  comparisons  revealed  no  disagreement  in 
the  lists. 

Still  large  numbers  of  the  missives  were  rifled,  the  moneys 
referred  to  in  the  text  having  parted  company  with  the  other 
contents.  On  close  inspection,  many  of  the  envelopes  showed 
signs  of  foul  play,  though  the  work  of  opening  and  regumming 
was  performed  with  rare  neatness  and  dexterity.  Where  and 
how  was  the  mischief  done? 

Inside  of  the  post-office  the  closest  surveillance  was  kept, 


A   PERPLEXING    DISCOVERY.  243 

and  the  most,  searching  experiments  tried,  to  test  the  honesty 
of  the  delivery  clerks,  without  developing  a  single  suspicious 
circumstance. 

Meanwhile,  a  thief  was  picked  up  in  another  part  of  the 
office,  and  on  his  person  were  found  several  letters  addressed 
to  the  firm  in  question.  Was  it  possible  that  this  fellow  had 
contrived  systematically  to  slip  up  to  tables  where  he  had 
no  business,  and  perpetrate  the  robberies?  The  theory  did 
not  account  satisfactorily  for  all  the  facts  of  the  case,  but  in  the 
heat  of  the  moment  was  accepted  in  lieu  of  a  better.  The 
firm  was  promptly  notified,  and  mutual  congratulations  were 
exchanged. 

The  illusion,  however,  was  of  short  continuance,  for  the 
rifling  went  on  without  interruption.  So  torturesome  had  the 
mystery  become,  that  the  officer  resolved  to  subordinate  other 
equally  important  work  to  this,  till  he  discovered  the  ingenious 
and  daring  thief.  Great  care  was  required,  for  the  game  must 
be  caught,  not  scared.  He  inspected  minutely  the  envelopes 
before  they  went  into  the  hands  of  the  messenger,  and  again 
after  their  delivery  into  the  counting-room  of  the  firm,  and  it 
was  plain,  from  faint  traces  of  mutilation,  that  unholy  fingers 
had  been  busy  in  the  interval.  Yet  the  youth  did  not  loiter  on 
the  way,  and  uniformly  turned  in  the  exact  number  that  he 
received.  The  manipulation  of  the  envelopes,  after  passing 
from  the  custody  of  the  post-office  authorities,  narrowed  the 
robberies  down  to  the  messenger,  while  the  promptitude  and 
exactness  with  which  his  duties  in  the  matter  were  apparently 
discharged,  not  less  than  the  abundant  resources  at  his  com- 
mand, seemed  to  lift  him  above  suspicion.  Having  learned, 
however,  that  many  letters  were  subjected  to  some  occult  but 
unlawful  process  on  the  passage  from  the  post-office  to  the 
publishing-house,  the  special  agent  directed  his  wits  to  the  dis- 
covery of  the  trick. 

In  company  with  the  officer  who  assisted  in  "looking 
through  the  tiles,"  he  took  a  position  in  the  corridor,  outside 
of  the  delivery  window,  to  watch  the  movements  of  the  mes- 


244  UNFAITHFUL    MESSENGERS. 

senger.  Soon  the  young  gentleman,  dressed  in  the  height  of 
fashion,  with  a  rather  marked  but  withal  well-bred  style, 
passed  through  the  lobby  and  received  his  mail.  Looking 
neither  to  the  right  nor  to  the  left,  he  walked  at  a  reasonable 
gait,  up  Liberty  Street  toward  Broadway.  On  turning  the 
corner,  he  was  joined  by  a  young  gentleman  more  fashionably 
attired,  if  possible,  than  himself.  They  appeared  to  be  inti- 
mate friends. 

It  now  flashed  across  the  mind  of  the  agent  that  he  had  seen 
the  two  join  each  other  several  times  before,  and  with  renewed 
interest  he  closely  dogged  their  steps.  After  proceeding  a 
short  distance,  they  hailed  and  entered  an  empty  omnibus.  So 
crowded  was  the  thoroughfare  that  pedestrians  easily  kept 
up  with  the  vehicles.  After  walking  half  a  block  further  to 
divert  suspicion,  the  special  agent  entered  the  same  convey- 
ance, leaving  his  companion  to  follow  close  behind  on  the 
sidewalk.  For  a  moment  or  two  the  young  men  talked  on 
indifferent  subjects ;  but  observing  that  the  stranger,  the  only 
other  occupant  of  the  coach,  was  buried  in  meditation,  and 
paid  no  attention  to  their  proceedings,  hurried  on  to  business. 
Plunging  his  hand  into  the  well-filled  pouch,  the  "scion  of  a 
wealthy  family  "  drew  out  a  large  number  of  letters,  and,  count- 
ing them,  turned  the  package  over  to  his  companion,  who  by 
way  of  exchange  took  from  the  recesses  of  his  overcoat  a 
large  lot,  and,  counting  off  an  equal  number,  dropped  them 
into  the  bag  to  restore  the  equilibrium. 

Shortly  after,  the  custodian  of  the  stolen  property  alighted, 
and  was  soon  lost  to  sight  in  the  throng.  The  messenger 
stopped  when  opposite  the  publishing-house,  and  with  cus- 
tomary promptitude  delivered  the  mail  to  one  of  the  partners. 
The  agent  followed  closely  enough  to  keep  every  movement 
in  view.  Taking  the  gentleman  aside,  he  explained  the  na- 
ture of  his  discovery,  when  the  intelligence  was  received  with 
mingled  astonishment  and  incredulity.  Unable  to  see  any 
motive  for  the  robberies,  the  partner  could  hardly  believe  at 
first  the  statement  of  the  officer.  The  accused  had  been  reared 


A    SCENE    IN   AN    OMNIBUS.  245 

in  the  lap  of  luxury.  At  home  no  want  of  this  petted  child 
of  fortune  had  been  allowed  to  go  ungratified.  With  super- 
abundant means  at  command,  how  could  he  stoop  to  the  base- 
ness of  plundering  his  employers? 

At  the  suggestion  of  the  officer,  the  quarter-deck  was  tem- 
porarily cleared,  and  the  "  scion "  sent  for.  Emboldened, 
perhaps,  by  the  knowledge  that  no  evidences  of  guilt  could  be 
found  on  his  person,  he  at  first  denied  the  charge ;  but  when 


"  Plunging  his  hand  into  the  well-filled  pouch,  the  « scion  of  a  wealthy  family* 
drew  out  a  large  number  of  letters." 

confronted  with  the  proofs,  admitted  the  crime.  He  also  gave 
the  name  and  location  of  his  confederate,  for  whom  an  officer 
was  immediately  dispatched.  On  the  arrival  of  the  youth, 
mutual  recriminations  were  followed  by  a  full  confession. 
Forty-two  letters  belonging  to  the  firm  were  found  in  their 
possession. 

The  method  pursued  is  sufficiently  explained  by  the  scene 


246  UNFAITHFUL  MESSENGERS. 

in  the  omnibus.  Whenever  a  lot  was  abstracted,  the  same  num- 
ber that  had  already  gone  through  the  rifling  process  was  re- 
stored. Hence  the  system  of  counting  and  comparison  failed 
to  reach  the  case.  The  partner  who  conducted  the  investiga- 
tion at  one  end  of  the  line  had  never  observed  that  many  of 
the  letters  must  have  been  delayed. 

After  the  main  facts  had  been  developed,  the  group  began 
to  discuss  the  probable  extent  of  the  peculations.  "  My  old 
man,"  remarked  the  imperturbable  "scion,"  with  an  air  of 
indifference,  "will  make  good  all  losses  —  put  in  everything. 
He  will  give  a  check  for  the  full  amount." 

This  was  afterwards  done,  so  that  the  firm  sustained  no 
direct  pecuniary  loss,  though  the  annoyance  and  indirect  losses 
are  hardly  to  be  measured  by  a  monetary  standard. 

They  are  not  initiating  any  more  wealthy  young  men  into 
the  mysteries  of  the  business. 

BY  HOOK  OR  BY  CROOK. 

Early  one  morning,  Mr.  White,  a  prominent  merchant, 
dropped  into  the  office  of  Mr.  Sharretts  to  enter  complaint 
against  a  mail-carrier.  There  could  be  no  doubt  about  the 
identity  of  the  person  who  was  troubling  his  peace.  His 
correspondence  was  large,  and  was  now  made  up  to  a  con- 
siderable extent  of  letters  from  indignant  customers,  who 
complained  that  their  orders  and  remittances  were  suffered 
to  go  unacknowledged.  Some  time  before,  with  a  view  to 
greater  convenience  and  security,  he  had  adopted  the  carrier 
system,  and  had  provided  a  strong  receptacle  near  the  center 
of  the  store,  wherein  the  carrier  was  directed  to  deposit  all 
letters  for  himself  and  his  clerks.  There  was  but  one  key 
to  the  box,  which  he  carried  in  person,  opening  it  and  distrib- 
uting the  contents  at  his  convenience.  Despite  these  pre- 
cautions, he  was  continually  losing  letters,  or  receiving  them 
with  the  valuable  inclosures  abstracted. 

Having  received  several  fresh  complaints  from  other  parties 
in  the  same  locality,  the  special  agent  admitted  that  there  was 


MR.    WHITE    IN    TROUBLE.  247 

sufficient  ground  for  suspecting  the  carrier  who  served  the 
route.  He  began  at  once  a  series  of  extended  and  exhaustive 
experiments,  and  though  scores  of  enticing  missives  passed 
through  the  hands  of  the  suspected  party,  each  one  was  de- 
livered with  disappointing  regularity.  During  the  progress 
of  the  investigation,  the  box  was  uniformly  examined  imme- 
diately after  the  departure  of  the  carrier,  and  as  the  losses 
abruptly  ceased,  Mr.  White  concluded  that  the  thief  had  been 
in  some  way  apprised  of  the  surveillance,  and  hence  had 
abandoned,  temporarily,  his  evil  practices.  Accordingly,  de- 
tective operations  were  suspended,  and  matters  permitted  to 
relapse  into  their  old  groove. 

Within  a  week  the  stealing  broke  out  again,  with  renewed 
virulence.  Mr.  White  revisited  the  office  of  the  special  agent 
in  a  state  of  high  excitement,  and  exhibited  a  number  of 
letters  that  had  been  rifled  of  their  contents,  the  envelopes 
betraying  obvious  signs  of  mutilation.  One  had  been  badly 
torn  in  opening,  and  to  conceal  the  rent,  the  flap  was  made 
to  fold  considerably  lower  than  at  the  original  sealing,  so  that 
the  segments  of  the  receiving  post-mark  of  the  station,  im- 
printed on  the  reverse  side,  no  longer  matched.  This  showed 
that  the  letter  had  been  violated  after  the  stamp  was  placed 
upon  it.  The  officer  felt  certain  that  no  one  as  intelligent  as 
the  carrier  on  that  route,  if  guilty  of  the  robbery,  would  ever 
deliver  a  missive  so  bunglingly  maltreated.  It  would  have 
been  destroyed,  as  many  others  had  been.  He  inferred  at 
once  that  some  employ^  in  the  store  was  doing  the  mischief, 
though  it  was  difficult  to  surmise  how. 

The  establishment  of  Mr.  White,  on  Broadway,  occupied 
nearly  half  the  block.  Wide  counters  lined  the  sides.  Not 
far  from  the  center  stood  the  receptacle  for  letters,  —  a  strong 
box,  with  a  narrow  aperture  on  top,  through  which  it  was 
impossible  even  for  a  young  child  to  introduce  the  hand. 
The  proprietor  reposed  implicit  confidence  in  the  clerks  and 
porters,  believing  that  neither  one  would  perpetrate  the  thefts, 
even  if  the  opportunity  was  granted.  The  trouble  could  not 


248  UNFAITHFUL  MESSENGERS. 

be  in  his  establishment,  for  even  if  the  fold  harbored  a  black 
sheep,  there  was  no  way  in  which  he  could  break  through  the 
inclosure  to  steal. 

Before  the  adoption  of  the  carrier  system,  a  youth  of  about 
eighteen  had  acted  as  mail  messenger.  By  comparing  vari- 
ous items  of  information,  the  officer  learned  that  the  losses 
began  soon  after  the  lad  was  taken  into  the  store.  Demure, 
circumspect,  and  always  ready  to  oblige,  he  was  pronounced 
by  his  employer  to  be  as  "  true  as  the  sun." 

More  from  the  coincidence  referred  to  than  from  the  actions 
or  appearance  of  the  young  fellow,  the  agent  decided  to  place 
both  him  and  the  unfortunate  receptacle  under  close  surveil- 
lance. An  outlook  was  extemporized  by  cutting  an  aperture 
through  a  door  opening  from  one  side  of  the  store  into  an 
unused  passage,  and  it  was  arranged  that  the  officer  and  a 
faithful  satellite  should  watch  each  day  during  the  intervals 
between  the  receipt  of  the  mail  and  its  removal  by  the  pro- 
prietor. The  experiment  was  soon  rewarded  with  success. 
It  was  the  third  trial.  The  carrier  had  deposited  the  letters 
as  usual,  and  hurried  on.  The  store  was  crowded  with  cus- 
tomers, the  salesmen  busy,  and  all  preoccupied.  No  one 
inside  paid  any  attention  to  the  letter-box.  Ere  long  the  late 
messenger  advanced  from  the  back  of  the  store,  and  sidled 
toward  it,  apparently  unnoticed  by  the  clerks  and  porters. 
For  a  moment  the  lad  was  busy  with  the  box,  but  the  partial 
interposition  of  his  person  prevented  the  watchers  on  the  out- 
side from  seeing  exactly  what  he  did.  The  corners  of  en- 
velopes, however,  were  observed  on  the  quick  passage  from 
the  aperture  to  the  pocket  of  the  operator. 

A  few  seconds  later  the  proprietor  entered  the  counting- 
room,  followed  by  the  officer.  "  Here,"  said  Mr.  White, 
beckoning  to  the  bad  boy,  "  show  this  gentleman  where  the 
post-office  is." 

"  All  right,"  replied  he,  picking  up  his  hat  with  alacrity,  and 
leaving  the  store  in  company  with  the  stranger.  Entirely 
unsuspicious  of  the  object  of  the  expedition,  he  pointed  out 


POVERTY    AND    TEMPTATION. 


various  places  of  interest  on  the  way,  and  otherwise  endeavored 
to  render  himself  agreeable.  Not  till  he  entered  the  room  of 
the  special  agent,  and  the  door  closed  heavily  behind,  did  the 

red  and  pale  shadows  of  ap- 
prehension begin  to  play  across 
his  face. 

Seeing  that  resistance  was 
useless,  the  thief  produced  the 
stolen  letters,  and  the  instrument 
with  which  they  were  abstracted. 
It  was  neither  more  nor  less 
than  a  long,  crooked,  wire  hook, 
which  he  was  in  the  habit  of 
thrusting  through  the  slit  in  the 
top  of  the  box,  drawing  up  often 
six  or  seven  letters  at  a  time. 

The  young  rob- 
ber wrote  out  a 
statement  of  his 
thefts,  showing 
when  they  com- 
menced, and  what 
they  amounted  to. 
In  attempting  to 
explain  his  defec- 
tion, he  told  the 
same  old  story, 
which  officers  in 
large  cities  are 
called  upon  to 
hear  so  often.  A 
salary  of  three  and 
a  half  dollars  a 


"Entirely  unsuspicious  of  the  object  of  the  expedi- 
tion, he  pointed  out  various  places  of  interest  on 
the  way." 


week  proved  insufficient  to  meet  the  acknowledged  demands 
of  billiard-rooms,  theatres,  and  other  places  of  amusement. 
Fast  company  and  expensive  habits  had  led  by  swift  stages 


250  UNFAITHFUL   MESSENGERS. 

to    crime,  exposure,  and  what   seemed  at  the  moment  over- 
whelming and  irretrievable  disgrace. 

Mr.  White  was  sent  for,  and  to  his  tender  mercies  the  sob- 
bing thief  was  committed.  That  gentleman  was  greatly  morti- 
fied to  find  the  marauder  in  his  own  employ  instead  of  the 
post-office,  as  he  had  stoutly  maintained ;  but  his  chagrin  was 
relieved  by  the  satisfaction  of  having  the  source  of  the  long- 
continued  injury  to  his  business  and  reputation  successfully 
unearthed. 

DELIVERED  FROM  EVIL. 

Criminals,  as  a  rule,  are  not  overstocked  with  gratitude. 
Perhaps  leniency  more  frequently  encourages  fresh  violations 
of  law  than  opens  a  way  to  reform.  Hence  it  is  doubly  agree- 
able to  record  instances  where  clemency  has  been  received  in  a 
spirit  of  thankfulness,  and  has  proved  instrumental  in  winning 
the  erring  back  to  rectitude. 

A  lawyer,  in  the  city  of  New  York,  enjoying  a  large  and 
lucrative  practice,  became  suddenly  aware  that  a  danger,  not 
enumerated  among  the  probable  casualties  of  professional  life, 
menaced  his  business.  The  correspondence  of  the  office  fell 
into  perplexing  entanglements.  In  nearly  every  mail  ag- 
grieved clients  referred,  in  reproachful  terms,  to  previous  let- 
ters and  remittances  that  had  received  no  acknowledgment. 

Engrossed  in  legal  work  before  the  various  tribunals  of  the 
metropolis,  some  time  elapsed  before  the  lawyer  began  to  look 
seriously  into  the  routine  business  of  his  own  office,  managed 
hitherto  entirely  by  subordinates.  Ere  long,  however,  the  up- 
braidings  of  the  sufferers  poured  in  in  such  numbers  that  he 
was  forced  into  active  measures  for  the  suppression  of  the  evil. 
Never  doubting  for  a  moment  that  the  depredator  was  lurking 
somewhere  within  the  ample  confines  of  the  post-office,  he 
called  on  the  postmaster  to  explain  his  tribulations,  and  was  b}r 
that  official  referred  to  the  special  agent. 

Stepping  through  the  doorway  of  Mr.  Sharrett's  room,  he 
inquired,  with  a  lowering  brow,  and  in  a  rather  peremptory 
tone,  "Are  you  the  post-office  detective  ?" 


AN    IRATE    LEGAL    LUMINARY. 

Agent.     "  I  presume  I  am  the  person  you  inquire  for." 

Lawyer.  "  Some  scoundrel  in  this  post-office  is  stealing  my 
letters.  It  is  terrible.  Complaints  come  in  by  the  score.  I 
wish  you  people  to  understand  that  unless  the  evil  is  suppressed 
instantly,  I  am  determined  to  pursue  the  matter  to  the  bitter 
end.  I  shall  not  be  very  particular,  either,  in  regard  to  whom 
I  may  hit  or  hurt." 

Agent.  w  I  am  sorry  to  hear  you  are  having  trouble  with 
the  mails.  I  assure  you  I  will  do  everything  in  my  power  to 
detect  the  guilty  party.  Are  you  satisfied  that  no  one  in  your 
own  office  is  doing  the  mischief  ?  " 

Lawyer.  "  Stop  right  there,  if  you  please.  Do  not  try  to 
evade  or  shift  the  responsibility.  Assuredly  I  should  not  be 
fool  enough  to  bring  hither  grievances  belonging  to  my  own 
establishment.  No,  sir.  The  trouble  is  right  here  in  this 
building,  and  I  know  it." 

Agent.  "Very  well.  If  it  is  here,  I  will  find  it.  All  I  ask 
is  your  co-operation  if  I  need  it." 

Lawyer.  "  Certainly,  sir.  If  I  can  be  of  any  service,  do 
not  hesitate  to  call  on  me." 

Having,  in  answer  to  the  questions  of  the  officer,  imparted 
such  information  as  he  possessed,  the  lawyer  departed  with 
a  serene  bow,  fully  satisfied  that,  if  the  detective  was  sharp, 
another  post-office  clerk  would  soon  gaze  upon  the  sky  through 
grated  bars. 

The  special  agent,  however,  did  not  accept  the  theory  of  the 
complainant,  though  too  well  taught  by  experience  to  betray 
the  doubt.  It  happened  that  a  few  days  prior  to  the  call  of 
the  legal  luminary,  whose  presence  had  for  a  few  moments 
irradiated  his  humble  sanctum,  while  standing  in  the  lobby  of 
the  post-office,  nearly  opposite  to  the  box  of  the  gentleman, 
though  not  aware  at  the  time  to  whom  it  belonged,  his  atten- 
tion was  attracted  to  a  diminutive,  cadaverous,  hungry-eyed 
boy,  who,  on  withdrawing  the  letters,  scrutinized  and  felt  of 
each  one  very  carefully  before  depositing  it  in  the  bag.  The 
officer  moved  in  that  direction  with  the  view  of  discovering  the 


252 


UNFAITHFUL  MESSENGERS. 


addresses,  but  the  purpose  was 
thwarted  by  the  inopportune 
approach  of  an  acquaintance, 
who  seized  him  by  the  coat,  and 
could  not  be  shaken  off  till  the 
lad  had  turned  to  walk  away. 
The  circumstance,  however, 
sufficed  to  indicate  where  the 
leak  was  likely  to  be  found. 

A  few  mornings  later,  the 
officer  stood  near  the  same  box 
on  the  arrival  of  the  messen- 
ger. Among  the  letters  of  the 
lawyer  was  one  very  en- 
ticing epistle  that  could 
hardly  fail  to  attract  the 
favorable  consideration 
of  an  habitual  thief.  The 
boy  was  seen  to  select 
this  particular  missive 
for  deposit  in  a  side 
coat-pocket,  instead  of 
the  proper  receptacle. 
Leaving  the  building, 
he  turned  into  a  side 
street,  closely  followed 
by  the  officer,  and  was 
apprehended  in  the  very 
act  of  abstracting  the 
contents. 
When  taken  to  the  room 

"  Apprehended  in  the  very  act."  of  the  special  agent,  the 

poor  starveling,  sobbing  as  if  the  day  of  doom  had  come,  told 
his  story,  and  a  sad  story  it  was.  He  admitted  the  long  series 
of  thefts,  and  acknowledged  that  he  appreciated  the  enormity 
of  the  crime,  but  in  broken  accents  pleaded  for  mercy.  "  O, 


STEAL    OR    STARVE.  253 

sir,"  said  he,  "if  you  knew  my  circumstances,  you  would  pity 
me.  I  have  no  father.  I  am  between  fourteen  and  fifteen, 
the  oldest  boy  in  the  family,  and  the  only  one  that  has  work. 
I  have  three  brothers,  one  four  years  old,  one  seven,  and  one 
twelve ;  and  four  sisters,  but  they  can  get  nothing  to  do.  My 
eldest  sister  is  sick,  and  we  can  get  no  medicine  for  her.  It 
makes  my  heart  ache  to  see  the  sufferings  of  my  poor  mother 
and  of  the  children.  Grandmother  lives  with  us,  too.  Some- 
times they  have  nothing  but  a  soda  cracker  to  eat  all  day. 
Mother  tries  to  get  bread  for  me,  as  I  work;  but  when  I  see 
how  the  poor  little  ones  look  while  I  am  eating,  though  they 
don't  say  a  word,  I  divide  my  crust  with  them,  for  I  can't  see 
them  starve.  I  only  get  three  dollars  a  week.  The  money  I 
stole  I  gave  to  mother,  making  her  believe  I  received  extra 
pay  for  overwork.  O,  sir,  if  I  can  only  be  forgiven  this  time, 
I  never  will  be  dishonest  again." 

There  was  no  evasion,  concealment,  or  duplicity  in  the 
countenance  or  manner  of  the  lad.  Sunken  features  and 
shriveled  limbs  bore  silent  but  pathetic  witness  to  the  reality 
of  slow  starvation.  He  had  sinned,  it  is  true,  and  sinned 
knowingly,  but  the  crimes  were  begun  and  kept  up  to  win 
bread  for  the  famishing. 

"  I  am  truly  sorry  for  you,"  resumed  the  officer,  sympatheti- 
cally, "but  I  do  not  see  how  you  can  be  saved  from  the  fatal 
consequences  of  your  own  misdeeds." 

"What  will  mother  say  when  she  learns  that  I'm  a  thief!" 
ejaculated  the  boy,  bursting  again  into  tears.  "  It  will  kill 
her — I  know  it  will." 

"You  should  have  thought  of  that  before,"  suggested  the 
special  agent,  more  in  the  spirit  of  pity  than  of  reproof. 

"She  has  always  tried  to  teach  me  to  do  right,  and  I  have 
turned  out  to  be  a  thief,"  sobbed  the  child.  "  My  poor  mother, 
my  poor  mother  !  " 

The  employer  was  sent  for.  At  first  he  manifested  a  great 
deal  of  ill-temper  toward  the  poor  child,  but  on  hearing  the 
whole  story,  his  harshness  dissolved  into  pity.  At  the  earnest 


254  UNFAITHFUL    MESSENGERS. 

solicitation  of  the  special  agent,  reinforced,  probably,  by  pain- 
ful twinges  of  conscience  for  paying  such  a  miserable  stipend 
for  services  that  began  early  and  ended  late,  the  lawyer  took 
back  the  little  fellow  at  an  increased  compensation. 

The  special  agent  sought  out  the  distressed  family,  plunging 
his  hand  deeply  into  his  pocket  to  relieve  their  wants.  Others, 
too,  were  brought  to  take  an  interest  in  their  welfare. 

The  boy  kept  his  promise  to  the  letter,  and  has  since  won 
several  well-earned  promotions. 


0 


g  YEAR  or  two  after  the  close 
of  the  late  war,  the  first  as- 
sistant postmaster-general  re- 
ceived a  singular  letter,  cov- 
ering four  pages  of  foolscap, 
from  Oldbury,  South  Caro- 
lina. Through  much  painful 
chirography  and  bad  spelling, 
the  writer,  one  Abel  Ridley, 
complained  that,  though  right- 
ful postmaster,  he  was  kept 
out  of  possession  of  the  office 
by  violence  and  fraud.  Many 
months  before,  according  to 
the  allegations,  he  had  re- 
ceived the  appointment,  made 
the  bond,  and  been  duly  com- 
missioned, but  during  all  this 
long  period  had  been  cruelly 
deprived  of  his  rights  by  some 

mysterious  usurper,  who  persistently  refused  to  recognize  the 

just  claims  of  the  complainant. 

A  special  agent  was  directed  to  proceed  thither  to  learn 

the   facts    and   take   such   action   as   the   merits  of  the   case 

might  require.     On  reaching  Oldbury  he  found  that  the  let- 


256  AN   APPLICANT    FOR    REAPPOINTMENT. 

ter  contained  a  little  truth,  mixed  with  a  good  deal  of  false- 
hood. 

For  a  number  of  years  after  the  war,  great  difficulty  was 
experienced  in  filling  the  smaller  offices  at  the  south,  as  incum- 
bents were  required  to  take  the  "iron-clad  oath,"  which  few 
were  able  or  willing  to  do.  Among  the  devices  for  evading 
the  law  the  most  common  was  a  dual  arrangement  whereby 
one  party  did  the  swearing  and  appeared  on  the  record,  while 
the  other  performed  the  work  and  drew  the  pay.  Unmarried 
women  or  old  men  generally  served  as  the  figure-heads. 

Oldbury  was  a  thriving  village,  and  on  the  return  of  peace 
the  community  were  in  haste  to  secure  a  restoration  of  former 
mail  facilities.  They  desired  that  the  gentleman  who  had 
acceptably  filled  the  position  of  postmaster  for  fifteen  years 
should  continue  to  serve  in  the  same  capacity ;  but  he  could 
not  take  the  prescribed  oath,  having  held  office  under  the  con- 
federacy. In  looking  about  for  a  man  of  straw  to  do  the 
swearing,  they  hit  upon  Ridley,  a  comparative  stranger,  who, 
at  the  suggestion  of  the  proposed  beneficiary  of  the  arrange- 
ment, swallowed  the  iron-clad,  and  relapsed  into  obscurity. 
The  old  postmaster  ran  on  in  the  old  groove,  evidently  believ- 
ing that  he  held  the  place  by  prescriptive  right  and  by  a  life- 
tenure.  Meanwhile  the  humble  mercantile  ventures  of  Ridley 
turned  out  so  badly  that  he  found  himself  pushed  to  the  wall. 
While  his  fortunes  had  been  going  down,  the  salary  of  the 
postmaster  had  been  going  up,  till  it  now  amounted  to  about 
eight  hundred  dollars  a  year.  The  temptation  was  too  great. 
Ridley,  who  had  no  weight  in  the  community,  and  whose 
connection  with  the  office  was  purely  nominal,  determined,  if 
possible,  to  make  its  emoluments  his  own.  Without  friends  or 
influence,  how  was  he  to  accomplish  this?  Hardly  thinking  his 
words  would  ever  return  to  confront  him,  he  wrote  to  the  de- 
partment the  letter  referred  to  at  the  outset. 

On  bringing  the  rival  claimants  together,  the  special  agent 
learned  that  Ridley  had  never  demanded  the  office  from  the 
actual  incumbent,  or  even  intimated  that  he  would  like  it.  In 


CROOKED    PROCEEDINGS. 


257 


fact,  not  a  word  had  ever  passed  between  them  on  the  subject, 
the  tale  of  dispossession  by  fraud  and  violence,  with  its  vari- 
ous   embellishments,   being    a    pure    fabrication.      Both  were 
equally  surprised  at 
the  turn  of  affairs  —  ,./ 

Ridley  at  the  ex-  n,{\( 
posure  of  his  dupli- 
city, and  the  uncon- 
scious assistant  that 
his  tenure  should  be 
covertly  assailed  by 
one  who  had  been 
brought  into  the  af- 
fair as  a  matter 
of  convenience,  and 
whose  connection 
with  the  arrange- 
ment was  almost 
forgotten. 

Though  it  was  a 
great  trial  to  be  com- 
pelled to  interpose  in 
behalf  of  a  liar  and 
a  sneak,  no  alterna- 
tive was  offered  but 
to  place  Ridley,  who 
held  the  commis- 
sion, in  possession 
of  the  office.  In  his 
case  a  bad  begin- 
ning missed  widely 
of  making  a  good 
ending. 

In  the  summer  of  1870,  a  banker  of  Augusta,  Georgia,  accost- 
ing on  the  street  the  special  agent  already  mentioned,  informed 
him  that  a  certain  pawnbroker  was  offering  about  the  city,  at  a 


The  Pawnbroker. 


258  AN   APPLICANT   FOR    RE  APPOINTMENT. 

discount  of  five  per  cent. ,  a  lot  of  postage  stamps  worth  on  their 
face  one  hundred  and  fifty  dollars.  Some  postmaster  was  obvi- 
ously perpetrating  a  fraud  on  the  government,  and  the  first 
point  in  the  investigation  was  to  locate  the  swindle. 

The  records  of  the  post-office  at  Augusta  showed  that  for 
several  months  the  pawnbroker  had  been  sending  registered 
letters  to  Ridley,  the  postmaster  at  Oldbury,  South  Carolina, 
with  whom  the  reader  already  enjoys  a  slight  acquaintance. 
As  a  faithless  employd  of  the  department  would  not  be  likely 
to  use  the  mails  for  the  transmission  of  contraband  wares, 
the  special  agent  went  to  the  headquarters  of  the  Southern 
Express  Company  to  inquire  whether  any  packages  had  been 
transmitted  through  their  hands  between  the  suspected  party 
and  the  pawnbroker.  Although  the  rules  of  this  company 
require  the  business  of  its  patrons  to  be  treated  as  strictly  con- 
fidential, the  general  and  division  superintendents  uniformly 
co-operate  with  the  post-office  department  in  its  efforts  to  detect 
fraud.  Agents  of  the  government  are  indebted  to  them  for 
much  valuable  assistance,  which,  the  writer  is  happy  to  testify, 
has  within  the  range  of  his  observation  uniformly  been  ren- 
dered with  zeal  and  courtesy. 

In  this  case,  the  books  of  the  company  happily  supplemented 
the  information  furnished  at  the  post-office.  Ridley  had  sent 
to  the  pawnbroker  several  valuable  packages  by  express,  and 
the  proceeds  less  the  discounts  had  obviously  been  returned  in 
registered  letters. 

Readers  unacquainted  with  post-office  details  will  naturally 
inquire  how  Ridley,  after  supplying  stamps  to  his  own  neigh- 
borhood, could  accumulate  a  stock  to  be  peddled  elsewhere. 
Had  he  been  honest  there  would  have  been  no  surplus.  Under 
the  law  as  it  then  existed,  the  salaries  of  postmasters  in  offices 
like  Oldbury  depended  mainly  on  the  number  of  stamps  can- 
celed, which  every  two  years  were  counted  for  three  or  six 
consecutive  months,  and  reported  to  the  department  under 
oath.  By  swearing  to  false  returns  he  had  succeeded  in  a 
brief  period  in  running  his  salary  up  from  eight  hundred  to 


SETTING    A    TRAP    FOR    RIDLEY.  259 

fifteen  hundred  dollars.  Instead  of  ordering  stamps  from  the 
department  on  the  basis  of  the  actual  needs  of  the  office,  his 
requisitions  were  swollen  to  treble  the  proper  amount  for  the 
purpose  of  hiding  the  fraud.  The  surplus  he  expected  to  dis- 
pose of  in  other  places  through  the  agency  of  disreputable 
characters  like  himself.  Except  for  the  information  furnished 
by  the  banker,  the  crime  might  have  passed  undetected,  as  the 
head  of  the  stamp  division  in  Washington,  if,  in  the  multiplicity 
of  work,  his  attention  had  been  called  to  the  rapid  growth  of 
the  business  at  Oldbury,  might  naturally  have  inferred  that  the 
village  was  highly  prosperous,  rather  than  that  the  postmaster 
was  a  knave. 

It  is  generally  safe  to  assume  that  a  man  who  will  lie  and 
commit  perjury,  will  also  steal  whenever  he  thinks  he  has  a 
safe  chance.  Recent  discoveries  turned  a  bright  light  upon 
the  ill-omened  visage  of  Ridley  as  he  writhed  a  couple  of  }rears 
before  under  the  exposure  of  the  falsehoods  contained  in  his 
first  letter  to  the  department.  Mere  dismissal  seemed  to  be  an 
entirely  inadequate  punishment  for  his  repeated  offenses,  and 
3*et  if  the  postmaster-general  took  immediate  action  he  could 
do  no  more  than  turn  him  out.  Simple  lying  is  not  a  crime  on 
the  statute  books,  and  the  fact  of  perjury,  however  indisputable 
in  reality,  could  not  be  established  by  legal  proof  in  a  court  of 
justice. 

In  looking  over  the  reports  of  mail  depredations  in  South 
Carolina,  the  special  agent  found  but  two  losses  that  could  pos- 
sibly be  charged  to  the  office  at  Oldbury,  and  each  of  these 
might  have  occurred  elsewhere.  One,  being  a  little  peculiar, 
suggested  a  device  which  proved  entirely  successful. 

A  registered  letter  mailed  originally  at  Pendleton,  South 
Carolina,  to  Ninety-Six,  remained  in  the  office  uncalled  for, 
the  party  addressed  —  an  itinerant  —  having  gone  elsewhere 
in  his  round  of  travel.  He  subsequently  wrote  to  Ninety-Six, 
requesting  that  the  letter  be  forwarded  to  Oldbury.  Instead 
of  inclosing  it  as  he  ought  in  a  registered  package-envelope, 
wherein  its  course  could  be  traced  by  an  unbroken  chain  of 


260  AN   APPLICANT   FOR    RE  APPOINTMENT. 

receipts,  the  postmaster  dispatched  it  as  an  ordinary  letter  in 
the  regular  mail.  Although  the  distance  was  short,  it  never 
reached  the  owner.  The  stamp  business  raised  a  strong  pre- 
sumption that  the  letter  was  stolen  by  Ridley. 

An  experienced  agent  aims  to  bait  a  thief  in  the  line  of  his 
habitual  operations,  and  the  hint  suggested  by  this  loss  was 
accordingly  acted  upon. 

At  this  time  the  special  agent  was  compelled  to  make  a  flying 
trip  to  Mississippi,  and  while  there  prepared  a  number  of  de- 
coys, with  suitable  postmarks,  for  the  express  benefit  of  Abel 
Ridley.  Armed  with  these,  he  proceeded  to  Columbia  as  a 
base  of  operations,  prepared  to  prosecute  the  chase  till  the 
thief  was  caught,  or  till  his  innocence  of  actual  robbery  was 
demonstrated. 

The  first  decoy  consisted  of  two  registered  letters,  one  post- 
marked with  the  office  stamp  of  Canton,  Mississippi,  and  the 
other  postmarked  Calhoun,  Mississippi.  Judging  from  the 
exterior  of  this  missive,  the  postmaster  at  Calhoun  had  never 
read  the  regulations  with  much  care,  for,  in  addition  to  bar- 
barous chirography,  mistakes  had  been  committed  wherever 
mistakes  were  possible. 

The  letter  from  Canton  was  directed  to  William  Ross,  Old- 
bury,  South  Carolina,  and  the  other  to  John  Converse,  Oak 
Hill,  Mississippi.  Both  were  inclosed  in  a  registered  package- 
envelope,  duly  postmarked  at  Canton.  No  way-bill  or  other 
explanatory  paper  accompanied  the  letter  for  Converse.  It 
seemed,  to  all  appearance,  to  have  been  dropped  into  the  pack- 
age-envelope inadvertently  by  the  postmaster  at  Canton,  and 
having  gone  so  widely  astray,  the  presumptions  were  strong 
that  every  trace  of  it  must  be  lost.  Notwithstanding  its  unpre- 
possessing aspect,  however,  it  contained  twenty-two  dollars, 
temptingly  folded. 

The  package  inclosing  the  two  letters  was  made  up  in  the 
presence  of  the  assistant  postmaster  at  Columbia,  and  sealed 
with  wax.  Having  been  duly  directed  to  the  postmaster  at 
Oldbury,  it  was  ready  to  start  on  its  mission. 


ON   THE    WATCH. 


26l 


The  following  day  the  detective  accompanied  the  route  agent 
over  the  road,  and  saw  the  package  delivered  to  the  mail  mes- 
senger at  Oldbury.  It  was  the  duty  of  the  postmaster,  on  find- 
ing that  one  of  the  inclosures  had  miscarried,  to  register  it  at 
once  to  the  office  of  destination. 

The  return  mail  passed  four  hours  later,  and  though  the  con- 
tents of  the  pouch  were  carefully  examined,  the  missing  letter 
failed  to  appear.  The  watch  was  kept  up  the  second  and  third 


w  The  conductor  kindly  stopped  to  let  the  special  agent  off. 


day  with  similar  results.  Had  Mr.  John  Converse  been  a  veri- 
table personage  of  average  sensibilities,  he  would  have  grown 
uneasy  about  the  safety  of  his  twenty-two  dollars  even  as  the 
case  stood  then.  On  the  third  day,  after  the  train  had  passed 
some  distance  beyond  the  village,  the  conductor  kindly  stopped 
to  let  the  special  agent  off. 

The  most  exciting  part  of  the  game  had  now  been  reached. 
It  is  always  the  desire  of  a  conscientious  agent  to  vindicate  a 


262  AN   APPLICANT    FOR    REAPPOINTMENT. 

suspected  party  if  innocent,  and  to  entrap  him  beyond  the  pos- 
sibility of  doubt  or  cavil  if  guilty.  Failure  to  secure  evidence 
requisite  to  convince  the  minds  of  a  jury  may  give  the  post- 
office  marauder  further  license  to  continue  his  depredations 
upon  society.  Yet  this  evidence  consists  of  a  few  bills  which 
may  still  remain  undisturbed  in  the  letter  as  it  reached  the 
office,  or  may  have  been  spent,  and  thus  have  disappeared 
beyond  recovery.  To  insure  success  in  springing  the  trap, 
one  has  to  avoid  equally  procrastination  and  precipitancy,  and 
the  unknown  conditions  of  each  case  are  too  numerous  to  per- 
mit one  to  decide  when  to  strike  with  any  very  strong  assurance 
that  he  is  not  committing  a  mistake.  After  weighing  the  prob- 
abilities, and  adopting  the  course  which  seems  on  the  whole  to 
be  best,  the  expert  in  detecting  crime  comes  to  be  more  and 
more  upheld  by  the  faith  that  the  devil  has  a  scurvy  trick  of 
deserting  a  thief  in  the  supreme  crisis  of  his  need.  Fate  seems 
often  to  contribute  more  than  wit  to  the  success  of  the  final 
catastrophe. 

The  officer  first  sought  a  reputable  citizen  who  consented  to 
accompany  him  in  the  capacity  of  witness.  Ridley  did  not 
appear  particularly  well  pleased  to  receive  a  visit  from  an  agent 
of  the  government,  but  an  examination  of  irrelevant  matters 
soon  put  him  comparatively  at  ease.  As  the  course  of  inquiry 
turned,  however,  to  the  registry  business,  and  gradually  nar- 
rowed down  toward  the  letter  from  Calhoun,  Mississippi,  his 
agitation  visibly  returned.  When  questioned  about  the  con- 
tents of  the  package,  he  acknowledged  that  it  held  two  letters, 
and  produced  the  one  for  William  Ross,  but  after  a  cursory 
search  pretended  he  could  not  find  its  comrade  directed  to  our 
friend  John  Converse.  When  assured  with  unmistakable  em- 
phasis that  it  must  be  produced,  he  suddenly  remembered  that 
he  had  taken  it  to  his  house,  several  blocks  distant,  and  with 
much  alacrity  volunteered  to  go  for  it.  With  equal  readiness 
the  special  agent  offered  to  keep  him  company.  He  then  went 
to  a  desk  nailed  to  one  end  of  the  store,  and  after  turning  over 
the  contents,  stealthily  slipped  something  into  a  side  pocket. 


UNDKSIRED    ASSISTANCE. 


263 


Notwithstanding  the  partial  interposition  of  his  person  and  the 
quickness  of  his  movements,  the  officer  caught  a  glimpse  of  two 
ten-dollar  bills.  As  the  fellow  emerged  from  behind  the  coun- 

O 

ter  he  was  stopped  in  the  middle  of  the  floor,  where  there  was 
no  chance  for  further  tricks  or  concealments,  and  asked  to  un- 
load. Perhaps  he  was  slightly  assisted  in  the  process.  Out 
of  a  side  pocket  of  his  coat,  along  with  other  less  interesting 
matter,  was  drawn  the  letter  for  John  Converse,  broken  open, 


"  As  the  fellow  emerged  from  behind  the  counter  he  was  stopped  in  the  middle 
of  the  floor,  where  there  was  no  chance  for  further  tricks." 

and  minus  twenty  dollars.  The  two  dollars  were  left.  As  the 
postmaster  claimed  to  be  a  pious  man,  he  was  possibly  too  con- 
scientious to  steal  the  whole.  In  his  hand,  as  it  came  from  the 
desk,  were  two  ten-dollar  notes,  which  he  asserted  were  the 
identical  notes  he  had  taken  from  the  letter. 

Ridley  was  immediately  taken  before  the  trial-justice  of  the 
place  for  a  preliminary  hearing.     By  a  memorandum  describ- 


264  AN    APPLICANT    FOR    REAPPOINTMENT. 

ing  the  money  in  the  decoy,  the  two  dollars  were  now  identified. 
The  tens  had  been  spent,  the  substitutes  produced  by  the  post- 
master lacking  the  numbers  and  other  marks  of  the  originals. 
By  way  of  explanation  he  said  that,  being  hard  pressed  for 
funds,  and  finding  a  registered  letter  a  good  deal  out  of  its 
course,  he  had  temporarily  borrowed  twenty  dollars,  expecting 
to  replace  the  money  from  his  first  spare  change.  He  argued 
to  himself  that  Mr.  Converse  would  not  be  greatly  inconven- 
ienced by  the  additional  delay.  The  justice,  however,  took  a 
different  view  of  the  transaction,  and  committed  him  for  trial 
at  the  next  term  of  the  United  States  court.  Ridley  made 
pathetic  appeals  to  a  number  of  neighbors  to  sign  a  bond  for 
his  appearance,  but  as  no  one  could  be  prevailed  upon  to  take 
the  risk,  he  was  marched  off  to  jail  to  await,  in  safe  quarters, 
the  meeting  of  the  court. 

The  conduct  of  the  office  now  devolved  upon  the  sureties, 
whom  the  special  agent  assisted  in  taking  an  account  of  stock. 
In  rummaging  the  mysterious  desk  already  referred  to,  one  of 
them  drew  forth  a  volume  carefully  enveloped  in  a  multiplicity 
of  wrappings.  It  might  be  an  heirloom,  or  keepsake  from  the 
dewy  innocence  of  youth.  A  suggestion  of  former  happiness 
amid  misery,  or  of  lost  innocence  in  crime,  always  touches  the 
sensibilities.  The  finder  was  visibly  moved.  His  thoughts 
evidently  reverted  from  the  dreary  fate  of  Abel  Ridley  to  the 
early  days  when  sacred  teachings  were  prized,  and,  without  a 
word  spoken,  the  discovery,  by  the  painful  contrast  it  sug- 
gested to  the  mind,  seemed  to  impress  the  little  group  with 
a  keener  appreciation  of  the  moral  ruin  of  a  man  who  had 
started  in  life,  perhaps,  with  a  good  outfit  for  an  honorable 
career.  Their  feelings,  however,  experienced  the  most  pain- 
ful revulsion  when  the  real  character  of  the  book  became  known. 
It  was  a  grossly  obscene  affair,  an  emanation  from  the  kingdom 
of  Satan,  a  pool  of  pollution,  which  no  right-minded  person 
could  glance  over  without  feelings  of  unutterable  disgust.  Its 
discovery  among  the  treasured  effects  of  the  criminal  gave 
another  illustration  of  the  fearful  tie  that  binds  all  vices  in  a 


THE    TRUTHFUL   YOUNG    MAN. 


265 


kindred  plexus.     Falsehood,  perjury,  thieving,  and  obscenity 
flourish  on  one  stem,  and  grow  rank  together. 

By  the  time  the  trial  came  on  in  the  United  States  court,  at 
Columbia,  Ridley  had  concocted  a  story  to  explain  the  abstrac- 
tion of  the  money,  which  he  expected  would  take  him  safely 
through.  In  South  Carolina,  at  that  time,  defendants  in  crim- 
inal prosecutions,  in  derogation  of  the  common-law  practice, 
were  permitted  to  testify  in 
their  own  behalf.  His  own 
testimony  was  supplemented 
by  that  of  his  son,  a  lad  of 
perhaps  eighteen  summers, 
but  much  older  in  the  expe- 
rience picked  up  among  bad 
companions,  and  in  improper 
resorts,  than  in  years.  False- 
hood, however  well  guarded, 
makes,  as  the  sequel  will 
show,  a  very  unsafe  defense. 
The  moment  one  abandons 
the  bed-rock  of  integrity  and 
truth,  he  is  liable  at  any  turn 
to  trip  irretrievably,  for  a  lie 
is  only  a  snare  to  catch  a  fool. 

The  youth  first  took  the 
stand.  He  swore  that  he  was 
in  the  office  at  Oldbury  alone 
when  the  registered  package 
arrived.  On  cutting  the  end  he  found  two  letters  bearing  the 
addresses  previously  described.  The  envelope  of  the  one 
directed  to  John  Converse  came  broken  open,  as  exhibited  to 
the  jury,  so  that  the  contents  were  exposed.  At  this  juncture 
a  large  number  of  money-orders  were  brought  in  for  payment, 
and  the  cash-box  did  not  hold  funds  enough  to  meet  the  drain. 
In  the  dilemma,  without  the  knowledge  of  the  postmaster,  the 
young  man  "borrowed"  twenty  dollars  from  the  letter  of  "John 


"  The  youth  first  took  the  stand." 


266  AN   APPLICANT    FOR    REAPPOINTMENT. 

Converse  "  to  aid  in  tiding  over  the  crisis,  intending  to  replace 
the  amount  and  forward  the  same  to  its  destination  as  soon  as 
the  finances  of  the  office  were  sufficiently  recruited  to  permit. 
He  gave  quite  a  pathetic  account  of  the  lecture,  partly  of 
reproof  and  partly  of  admonition,  administered  by  his  careful 
and  conscientious  parent  when  this  device  for  "  raising  the 
wind"  was  first  communicated  to  him. 

Ridley  corroborated  the  story  of  the  boy,  and  though  the 
skillful  cross-questioning  of  the  district  attorney  led  him  into 
numerous  contradictions  and  entanglements,  forcing  him  often 
to  wince  fearfully  under  the  fire,  he  stepped  at  length  from  the 
witness-stand  under  the  apparent  belief  that  his  chances  were 
good  for  breaking  through  the  damning  array  of  facts  as  well 
as  the  meshes  of  the  law. 

Incidents  seemingly  trivial,  frequently  determine  the  fate  of  a 
case.  While  no  degree  of  prescience  can  foresee  what  sort  of 
a  lie  a  thief  on  trial  will  contrive  to  mislead  the  minds  of  a  jury, 
or  prepare  in  advance  the  evidence  to  rebut  it,  a  mistake  or  act 
of  forgetfulness  may  be  the  means  of  exploding  the  falsehood. 
In  this  instance  both  decoys  were  written  and  sealed  before  the 
officer  reached  Columbia.  It  was  important,  however,  to  have 
the  memorandum  describing  the  inclosed  bills  properly  verified 
by  a  disinterested  witness.  Suppose  the  postmaster  should  rob 
the  letter  and  spend  the  money,  and  it  should  be  found  in  the 
hands  of  the  party  to  whom  he  had  passed  it.  The  thief  could 
argue  that  the  memorandum  was  falsely  and  wickedly  man- 
ufactured by  the  special  agent  to  correspond  with  the  supposed 
discovery,  and  that  not  he  but  the  agent  was  the  real  criminal. 

Accordingly  the  officer  wished  the  assistant  postmaster  at  Co- 
lumbia —  a  gentleman  universally  respected  for  integrity,  and 
whose  word  no  one  in  that  community  would  doubt  —  to  be  pre- 
pared, in  case  a  necessity  should  arise,  to  identify  the  notes. 
They  carefully  examined  the  envelope,  with  the  view  of  reopen- 
ing it;  but  as  it  was  firmly  sealed,  and  as  the  agent  had  no  du- 
plicate with  the  Calhoun  postmark,  —  a  matter  of  vital  impor- 
tance to  the  success  of  the  scheme,  —  the  assistant  copied  the 


CRIME    CANNOT    BE    HIDDEN.  267 

memorandum  in  a  record-book  of  the  office,  instead  of  describing 
the  bills  from  personal  inspection.  By  either  method  the  verifi- 
cation would  be  equally  complete.  The  incident  strongly  im- 
pressed upon  the  minds  of  both  gentlemen  the  thoroughness 
with  which  the  flap  was  secured.  In  the  presence  of  each 
other  they  inclosed  the  two  letters  in  one  of  the  package-enve- 
lopes provided  by  the  department  for  registered  matter,  and 
sealed  it  with  wax.  The  missive  was  then  turned  over  to  the 
assistant  to  be  dispatched  by  the  outgoing  mail. 

In  telling  the  story  of  crime  and  its  detection,  one  is  tempted 
to  pause,  more  frequently  perhaps  than  is  agreeable  to  the 
reader,  to  moralize  on  the  impossibility  of  either  hiding  guilt, 
or  of  obliterating  the  evidences  of  its  existence.  If  Nature 
photographs  on  imperishable  plates,  as  perhaps  she  may,  ev- 
ery deed,  and  word,  and  thought,  the  dread  record  will  add 
little  to  the  certainty  of  discovery  and  retribution.  No  cover 
is  big  enough  to  cover  itself.  Even  darkness  and  solitude 
refuse  to  befriend  the  wrong-doer.  The  sands  of  the  desert, 
the  storm-beaten  rocks  on  the  lonely  mountain-side,  the  restless 
billows  of  the  deep,  scorn  to  hide  the  guilty  actions  perpetrated 
in  their  presence:  The  very  precaution  taken  for  the  purpose 
of  eluding  pursuit  becomes  the  clue  which  pilots  the  avenger 
to  the  hiding-place  of  the  criminal,  be  it  in  the  wilderness  or 
in  the  busiest  haunts  of  men. 

But,  inquires  the  doubter,  how  on  your  hypothesis  do  you 
account  for  the  enormities  —  the  arsons,  the  robberies,  the  mur- 
ders —  that  go  unexplained  and  unpunished? 

Our  answer  would  be,  that  in  every  instance  sufficient  traces 
are  left  behind  to  enable  a  thoroughly  competent  detective  to 
connect  unerringly  the  offense  and  the  perpetrator.  The  fail- 
ures are  attributable  to  lack  of  skill  on  the  part  of  officers  — 
not  to  the  lack  of  evidence. 

The  evidence  of  the  assistant  postmaster  at  Columbia  refuted 
the  story  of  the  son  that  the  letter  for  John  Converse  was  broken 
open  when  it  reached  the  office  at  Oldbury,  for  nothing  but  a 
charge  of  nitro-glycerine  could  have  done  the  work.  The  tes- 


268  AN   APPLICANT    FOR    REAPPOINTMENT. 

timony  of  the  father  was  contradicted  by  his  own  statements 
made  in  the  presence  of  witnesses  at  the  time  of  his  arrest. 
Thus  the  falsehoods  contrived  to  shield  a  thief  from  the  penal- 
ties of  his  crime  were  so  effectually  exposed  that  after  a  brief 
consultation  the  jury  brought  in  a  verdict  of  guilty.  He  was 
sentenced  to  a  term  of  ten  years  in  the  penitentiary,  but  after 
serving  two,  received  a  pardon  from  the  President.  The  last 
the  special  agent  heard  of  Ridley  he  was  actually  applying  to 
the  department  for  reappointment  as  postmaster  at  Oldbury  ! 
If  he  wishes  an  indorsement  from  one  familiar  with  an  event- 
ful portion  of  his  career,  he  is  at  liberty  to  use  the  statements 
contained  in  the  foregoing  narrative. 


ARLY  in  the  year  1872  there 
began  a  series  of  alarming  rob- 
.beries  on  the  route  between 
Toledo,  Ohio,  and  Buffalo, 
New  York,  which  long  baffled 
the  ingenuity  not  only  of  the 
agents  of  the  department,  but 
of  the  skilled  detectives  of 
Pinkerton's  force,  who  were 
employed  by  Adams  Express 
Company,  one  of  the  principal 
sufferers,  to  work  upon  the 
case.  At  irregular  intervals, 
numerous  letters,  passing 
eastward,  containing  checks, 
drafts,  and  money,  were  ab- 
stracted from  the  mails,  and  a 
few  days  later,  by  means  of 
forged  indorsements,  the  nego- 
tiable paper  was  collected  at 
different  cities,  through  the 
agency  of  different  express  companies.  All  the  transactions 
growing  out  of  each  robbery  were  necessarily  compressed  into 
a  very  brief  period  ;  and  so  artfully  were  the  details  planned, 
that  by  the  time  the  forgeries  were  discovered,  the  rogues  had 
disappeared  completely  from  view. 


His  just  deserts. 


27O  THE    CONSPIRATORS. 

The  line  between  Toledo  and  Buffalo  is  one  of  the  most 
important  postal  routes  in  the  country,  the  distribution  of  mails 
between  the  east  and  the  west  being  performed  in  commodi- 
ous cars  fitted  up  for  the  purpose,  so  that  letters  and  papers 
are  hurried  forward  to  their  ultimate  destination  without  any 
delay  whatever  at  intermediate  points.  To  accomplish  the 
work,  four  clerks  are  required  on  each  car,  and  during  the 
greater  part  of  the  distance  they  are  kept  busily  occupied. 

Several  letters  going  east  over  the  Lake  Shore  Road,  on 
the  23d  of  April,  1872,  the  date  when  this  remarkable  series 
of  depredations  began,  failed  to  reach  the  offices  of  destina- 
tion, and,  but  for  the  occurrences  that  immediately  followed, 
would  have  dropped  to  the  level  of  commonplace  losses  by 
mail.  The  ordinary  thief  aims  to  confine  his  operations  exclu- 
sively to  letters  containing  money,  and  by  practice  often 
becomes  very  expert  in  distinguishing  remittances  of  currency. 
Whatever  drafts,  checks,  or  other  negotiable  paper  happen 
to  fall  into  his  hands,  are  usually  destroyed  at  the  first  oppor- 
tunity. So  far  as  possible  he  avoids  molesting  any  but  money 
letters,  partly,  perhaps,  from  a  faint  regard  for  the  rights  of 
correspondents,  and  still  more  because  each  loss  increases 
the  chances  of  detection. 

A  day  or  two  later,  a  young  man  passing  under  the  name 
ofC.  H.  Rugby,  deposited  for  collection  with  the  American 
Express  Company,  at  Albany,  New  York,  three  drafts, 
amounting  in  the  aggregate  to  twenty-eight  hundred  dollars. 
Through  intermediate  fictitious  indorsements  all  were  made 
payable  to  his  order.  Neither  bore  any  external  mark  of 
fraud.  In  due  time  the  paper  was  converted  into  currency, 
and  awaited  in  the  vaults  of  the  company  the  pleasure  of  the 
owner.  In  this  instance,  however,  Mr.  Rugby,  being  a  novice 
at  one  of  the  boldest  and  most  desperate  games  the  swindler 
can  undertake,  failed  to  be  identified  to  the  satisfaction  of  the 
cashier,  who  accordingly  declined  to  turn  over  the  funds. 
Finding  that,  through  incompleteness  of  preparations,  he 
was  doomed  to  failure  at  Albany,  he  directed  the  packages 


A    BOGUS    MERCHANT.  271 

to    be    forwarded   to    New   York    city,    and    hurried   thither 
himself. 

Among  the  trophies  of  the  first  raid  was  a  note  addressed 
by  a  merchant  of  Rowley,  Missouri,  to  H.  B.  Clafiin  &  Co., 
one  of  the  largest  dry-goods  houses  in  New  York.  A  hint  or 
two  from  the  context  germinated  fruitfully  in  the  fertile  brain 
of  the  adventurer.  Rowley,  Missouri,  was  an  excellent  town 
to  hail  from,  and  the  reputable  dealer,  whose  innocent  letter 
had  gone  so  sadly  astray,  could  be  made  to  stand  sponsor  for 
a  stranger  among  strangers. 

On  a  bright  morning  in  the  latter  part  of  April,  a  young 
man  of  rather  loud  manners,  but  somewhat  nervous  and  excit- 
able withal,  walked  into  the  private  office  of  Mr.  Claflin,  and 
handed  him  a  letter  of  introduction  purporting  to  come  from 
his  correspondent  at  Rowley.  The  bearer,  Mr.  C.  H.  Rugby, 
was  described  as  a  responsible  merchant  of  that  place,  on  a 
visit  to  the  east  for  the  purchase  of  goods,  and  was  warmly 
commended  to  the  favor  of  Mr.  Claflin.  That  gentleman, 
raising  his  eyes  from  the  note,  scanned  him  cautiously,  and 
inquired  on  what  terms  he  wished  to  purchase.  The  pseudo- 
dealer  replied  with  slight  embarrassment  that  he  was  ready  to 
pay  cash,  and  had  the  requisite  funds  at  the  express  office,  it 
being  only  necessary  for  the  firm  to  send  some  one  down  to 
identify  him.  Mr.  Claflin  directed  an  employe  to  accompany 
Rugby  to  the  express  office,  but  the  cashier  declined  to  de- 
liver the  money  without  a  written  order  from  the  firm.  This 
Rugby  succeeded  in  procuring,  and  on  presentation  to  the 
superintendent,  it  was  indorsed  w  O.  K.,"  and  passed  on  to 
the  paying  clerk.  The  packages  were  withdrawn  from  the 
safe,  and  two  of  them  checked  off  on  the  register,  when  the 
clerk  called  to  the  superintendent,  who  was  about  to  leave  the 
building,  and  placed  in  his  hands  a  letter  from  the  office  at 
Albany.  The  uneasy  manner  and  excited  movements  of 
Rugby  had  aroused  the  suspicions  of  the  manager  at  that 
place,  so  that  when  directed  to  forward  the  collections  to  New 
York  city,  he  took  the  precaution  to  dispatch  a  note  at  the 


272 


THE    CONSPIRATORS. 


same  time,  expressing  his  apprehensions,  and  urging  unusual 
care  in  making  the  delivery.  After  a  brief  consultation,  the 
superintendent  decided  to  send  the  packages  to  the  office  of 

Claflin  &  Co., 
and  informed 
Rugby  that  he 
could  call  there 
L  for  them.  A  mes- 


senger  was  ac- 
cordingly dis- 
patched with  the 
money,  and  the 
man  who  was  so 
anxious  to  lay  his 
hands  on  it  was 
not  long  in  fol- 
lowing. By  this 
time  Mr.  Claflin, 
beginning  to  sus- 
pect that  the 
merchant  from 
Rowley  might  be 
more  anxious  to 
sell  than  to  buy, 
declined  to  receive  the  pack- 
ages, and  the  messenger  de- 
parted as  heavily  freighted  as 
he  came.  Meanwhile  Rugby 
strolled  in,  and  while  loitering 
in  the  sales-room,  was  tapped 
on  the  shoulder  by  a  clerk, 
who  notified  him  that  the  pro- 
prietor wished  to  see  him  in 
his  office.  Rugby's  courage  was  fast  oozing  away,  for  as  dis- 
appointments culminated  he  knew  not  what  exposure  and  peril 
any  moment  might  bring ;  but,  putting  on  a  bold  face  for  the 


"  That  gentleman,  raising  his  eyes  from 
the  note,  scanned  him  cautiously." 


A    BOLD    STROKE.  273 

final  effort,  he  proceeded  to  comply  with  the  request.  With  a 
polite  intimation  that  a  delay  of  a  few  hours  could  not  serious- 
ly incommode  him,  Mr.  Claflin  regretted  that  he  could  not 
identify  him  till  he  had  telegraphed  to  Rowley,  to  inquire  if 
everything  was  right.  He  had  sent  a  dispatch,  and  expected 
an  answer  in  the  course  of  the  day.  The  stranger  seemed 
satisfied,  and  with  a  "  Good-day,  I  will  call  in  a  little  while," 
stepped  out,  not  to  return.  A  few  days  later,  when  the  real 
character  of  the  transaction  came  to  light,  no  one  of  the  par- 
ties in  interest  knew  whence  the  swindler  came  or  whither  he 
went. 

The  stock  of  drafts  in  possession  of  the  robber  was  not  yet 
exhausted.  The  day  after  Mr.  Claflin  enjoyed  so  many  in- 
terviews with  the  merchant  from  Rowley,  a  man  representing 
himself  to  be  a  member  of  the  house  of  Flynn  Brothers,  of  Nor- 
walk,  Ohio,  stepped  into  a  grocery  in  Philadelphia,  and  effected 
a  purchase  amounting  to  several  hundred  dollars,  offering  in 
payment  a  check  for  twelve  hundred  dollars,  mailed  at  Fostoria, 
Ohio,  to  a  firm  in  New  York.  As  over  a  week  had  elapsed 
since  the  issue  of  the  paper,  the  holder  telegraphed  to  the 
drawee  to  inquire  if  it  was  good,  and  receiving  an  affirmative 
reply,  did  not  hesitate  to  play  boldly.  The  grocer  accepted 
the  draft,  giving  his  own  check  on  a  local  bank  for  a  balance 
of  four  hundred  and  sixty  dollars.  The  purchaser  of  salt  and 
sugar  for  the  retail  house  of  Flynn  Brothers  was  joined  by  a 
comrade  on  emerging  into  the  street,  and  the  pair  sought  out  a 
clothing-store  in  the  neighborhood,  where  they  invested  quite 
liberally  in  the  way  of  replenishing  their  wardrobes.  The 
check  of  the  grocer  was  offered  in  payment,  but  the  clothier, 
not  being  acquainted  with  the  drawer,  declined  to  receive  it 
without  making  inquiry  at  the  bank. 

w  Very  well,"  said  the  stranger,  "  send  down  your  messen- 
ger, and  if  you  find  it  all  right,  you  can  give  me  the  change." 

After  considerable  parley  and  several  excursions  on  the 
part  of  the  errand-boy,  the  proprietor  became  satisfied  of  the 
sufficiency  of  the  check,  and  paid  over  the  balance  in  currency., 
18 


274  THE    CONSPIRATORS. 

This  was  the  first  and  only  money  realized  by  the  operator 
from  the  robberies  of  April  23d,  and  seemed  a  meager  return 
for  the  cost  and  dangers  of  the  venture.  But  failure  served 
to  indicate  the  imperfections  of  his  method,  and,  instead  of 
discouraging  him  from  further  frauds,  proved  rich  in  sugges- 
tions for  the  successful  development  of  subsequent  villanies. 

On  the  28th  of  May,  another  heavy  raid  was  made  on  the 
eastward  bound  mail  between  Toledo  and  Buffalo.  Among 
the  spoils  were  two  checks  —  one  for  fifteen  hundred  dollars, 
mailed  the  previous  day  at  La  Crosse,  Wisconsin,  by  Hon. 
C.  C.  Washburn,  and  made  payable  by  his  indorsement  to 
the  order  of  Dr.  W.  L.  Richardson,  of  Boston,  Massachu- 
setts ;  and  another  for  twelve  hundred,  drawn  on  a  bank  in 
New  York  city.  Receiving  no  acknowledgment  for  the  re- 
mittance, Governor  Washburn  wrote  a  second  letter  to  Dr. 
Richardson,  and  was  informed  in  reply  that  the  first  had  not 
come  to  hand.  He  then  sent  a  duplicate,  which  Dr.  Rich- 
ardson deposited  in  a  Boston  bank  for  collection.  It  was  for- 
warded to  the  drawee  in  New  York,  where  it  was  protested 
and  returned  on  the  ground  that  the  original  had  been  paid. 

It  was  soon  learned  that  the  original  had  been  collected 
by  one  R.  L.  Dudley  through  the  Pittsburgh  (Pennsylvania) 
agency  of  the  Adams  Express  Company,  having  been  depos- 
ited by  him  on  the  3ist  of  May,  and  the  proceeds  having  been 
paid  to  him  June  3d.  Several  years  before,  Dudley  had  re- 
sided temporarily  in  Pittsburgh,  and  had  married  in  the  vicin- 
ity. A  sister  of  his  wife  and  a  brother-in-law  were  then 
living  in  Allegheny  City,  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river. 
Dudley  was  identified  at  the  express  office  by  Mr.  J.  D.  For- 
rester, a  dealer  in  sewing-machines.  On  the  pretense  of 
buying  a  machine,  Dudley  called  at  the  salesroom  in  com- 
pany with  his  brother-in-law,  a  customer  of  Mr.  Forrester, 
and  had  one  sent  to  his  boarding-house  for  trial.  Having  no 
cause  whatever  to  suspect  that  he  was  the  victim  of  an  impo- 
sition, Mr.  Forrester  fell  into  the  trap,  and  innocently  enacted 
the  part  prepared  for  him  by  the  forger. 


DODGING    THE    DETECTIVES. 


275 


The  swindler  was  not  so  lucky  with  the  other  draft  depos- 
ited for  collection  at  the  same  time.  Through  haste,  or  care- 
lessness, the  letter  "e"  was  left  out  in  writing  the  word 
twelve ;  and  on  that  ground  the  New  York  bank  refused 
payment. 

By  the  time  an  agent  of  the  department  reached  Pitts- 
burgh, Dudley  had  fled  to  parts  unknown,  his  family  connec- 


"  On  the  pretense  of  buying  a  machine,  Dudley  called  at  the  salesroom 
in  company  with  his  brother  in  law." 

tions  professing  entire  ignorance  of  his  plans  and  movements. 
Very  few  knew  him  even  by  sight.  During  his  late  sojourn 
at  Allegheny  City,  he  boarded  with  his  brother-in-law,  and 
studiously  avoided  public  observation.  This  was  the  only 
point  during  his  short  and  eventful  career  in  forging  drafts 
stolen  from  the  mails  where  he  passed  under  his  real  name. 
During  the  month  of  June  quiet  prevailed  on  the  Lake 


276  THE    CONSPIRATORS. 

Shore ;  but  early  in  July  a  third  swoop  was  made  upon  the 
eastward  bound  mail.  The  following  day,  drafts,  abstracted 
from  the  rifled  letters  to  the  amount  of  five  thousand  two  hun- 
dred dollars,  were  placed  in  White's  Bank  at  Buffalo  for  col- 
lection ;  and  another  for  nine  hundred  and  forty-seven  dollars 
and  twenty-five  cents  was  deposited  in  the  express  office  for 
the  same  purpose.  All  were  indorsed  by  C.  H.  Bogart,  a  late 
comer  in  Buffalo,  who  was  supposed  to  be  engaged  in  the 
slate  business.  As  his  main  object  was  to  win  the  confidence 
of  the  banker,  and  to  become  acquainted  with  the  employes  at 
the  express  office,  he  remained  under  cover  most  of  the  time, 
and  did  not  regret  the  lack  of  customers.  Four  or  five  days 
after  depositing  the  paper,  Bogart  reappeared,  neatly  arrayed 
in  clean  linen,  and,  dropping  into  the  bank  where  he  had 
opened  an  account,  inquired  if  the  collections  had  been  made. 
Receiving  an  affirmative  reply,  he  drew  his  own  check  for 
over  four  thousand  dollars,  with  the  remark  that  he  was 
obliged  to  make  a  large  payment.  Luckily  for  the  bank,  but 
unfortunately  for  the  schemer,  the  cashier  gave  him  in  ex- 
change a  certified  check  on  them,  which  he  was  unable  to 
convert  into  currency,  as  he  failed  to  establish  his  identity. 
At  the  express  office  he  fared  better,  going  away  richer  by 
nine  hundred  and  forty -seven  dollars  and  twenty -five  cents 
than  he  entered.  From  that  evening  forward,  the  places  in 
Buffalo  that  had  lately  known  Bogart  knew  him  no  more. 
Like  the  unhappy  traffickers  at  Vanity  Fair,  he  bursted  like  a 
bubble,  and  seemed  to  evaporate  in  the  air.  His  landlady  was 
inconsolable,  and  customers,  if  they  sought  him  at  all,  sought 
him  in  vain. 

For  five  or  six  weeks  everything  moved  on  smoothly.  Sud- 
denly, about  the  middle  of  September,  the  malady  broke  out 
in  a  new  place.  Four  drafts  for  $1000,  $500,  $130,  and  $100 
respectively,  which  should  have  passed  over  the  Lake  Shore 
Road  on  the  seventeenth  of  the  month,  instead  of  reaching  the 
owners  at  Boston  and  Hartford,  were  deposited  in  two  express 
offices  at  Newark,  New  Jersey,  for  collection,  indorsed  in  due 


277 

form  by  R.  D.  Randall.  The  gentleman  in  question  had  an 
office  in  Newark,  but,  for  greater  salubrity  of  climate,  resided 
at  Elizabeth.  Dressing  well  and  spending  money  freely,  he 
made  many  acquaintances  who  regarded  him  as  the  prince  of 
good  fellows,  and  some  of  whom  stood  ready  not  merely  to 
identify  him,  but  to  indorse  for  him.  Gaining  skill  by  prac- 
tice, and  boldness  by  immunity,  he  was  fast  rising  from  the 
rank  of  low  cheats  to  the  more  exclusive  class  of  accom- 
plished swindlers.  The  blunders  which  thwarted  the  imma- 
ture arrangements  of  the  merchant  from  Rowley,  he  could 
smile  at  now  as  the  mistakes  of  a  tyro.  Already  he  began  to 
wear  the  air  and  manners  of  an  artist,  conscious  of  the  ability 
to  reach  the  envied  heights  of  the  profession.  There  still 
remained  a  good  deal  of  the  swagger  and  turgidity  incident 
to  the  period  of  incubation  and  the  intoxication  of  first  suc- 
cess ;  but  minor  blemishes  of  deportment  are  rapidly  toned 
down  by  time  and  by  the  conflicts  of  life.  Randall  experi- 
enced no  difficulty  in  procuring  the  money  on  three  of  the 
drafts ;  but  the  collection  of  the  fourth  was  for  some  reason 
delayed  till  he  became  afraid  to  call  for  the  proceeds.  In  a 
very  short  time  the  forgeries  were  detected,  but  once  more  the 
bird  had  fled. 

The  next  we  hear  of  the  forger  is  at  Rochester,  New  York, 
where  he  rented  an  office  under  the  name  of  R.  W.  Davis, 
and,  by  liberal  expenditures  for  liquor  and  cigars,  forced  a 
rapid  acquaintance  among  the  parties  through  whom  he  pro- 
posed to  operate.  On  the  ist  of  November  he  deposited  at 
the  express  office  a  draft  for  seven  hundred  and  seventy  dol- 
lars, stolen  in  the  usual  way,  and,  on  receiving  the  proceeds  a 
few  days  later,  decamped. 

On  the  yth  of  January,  1873,  another  miscellaneous  lot  of 
letters  was  stolen  from  the  mails  on  the  Lake  Shore  Road. 
A  couple  of  days  later,  a  draft  for  nine  hundred  and  twenty- 
nine  dollars  and  eighty-six  cents,  purchased  at  the  Merchants' 
National  Bank,  Toledo,  and  forwarded  by  mail  to  E.  A. 
Mudge  &  Co.,  of  Boston,  was  deposited  with  the  Adams 


278  THE    CONSPIRATORS. 

Express  Company  at  Philadelphia  for  collection,  and  at  the 
same  time  also  a  draft  for  three  hundred  and  twenty-two  dol- 
lars and  eighty-five  cents,  drawn  by  the  First  National  Bank 
of  Toledo  in  favor  of  Tenney,  Aldrich  &  Co.,  of  Boston.  By 
forged  indorsements,  both  were  made  payable  to  the  order  of 
T.  H.  Cone,  the  name  assumed  by  the  swindler  in  Philadel- 
phia. The  cashier  declined  to  receive  the  drafts  till  the  holder 
was  identified,  the  company  from  repeated  losses  having  in- 
structed their  agents  to  use  extreme  care  and  vigilance  in 
delivering  valuable  packages  to  strangers.  Cone  manifested 
his  uneasiness  by  spitting  a  great  deal  of  tobacco-juice  on  the 
floor,  the  excessive  salivation  attracting  the  attention  of  the 
cashier.  It  is  noticeable  that  thieves,  embezzlers,  and  other 
miscreants,  who  live  by  preying  on  society,  if  at  all  addicted 
to  the  use  of  the  weed,  chew  inordinately  when  brought  to 
bay.  The  symptom  might  often  be  valuable  in  diagnosti- 
cating the  purposes  of  a  scoundrel,  though  men  entirely  inno- 
cent of  evil  intentions  may,  under  the  pressure  of  extreme 
excitement,  do  the  same  thing.  To  satisfy  the  doubts  of  the 
cashier,  Cone  remarked  that  he  was  well  known  to  the  atta- 
ch6s  of  the  office,  one  or  two  of  whom  identified  him  as  a 
person  who  had  on  several  occasions  received  valuable  pack- 
ages through  the  agency.  Without  further  questioning,  the 
drafts  were  received  for  collection,  and  in  due  time  the  pro- 
ceeds were  paid  to  the  ostensible  owner. 

The  swindler  resided  about  two  months  in  Philadelphia, 
fleeing  of  course  as  soon  as  the  fruits  of  the  experiment  were 
securely  harvested.  During  the  period  he  occupied  quarters 
in  close  proximity  to  the  office  of  Adams  Express  Company, 
and  directly  under  the  eye  of  Pinkerton's  detective  agency. 
Had  he  deliberately  planned  to  thrust  his  head  between  the 
jaws  of  the  lion,  he  could  not  have  accomplished  the  purpose 
more  effectually.  Renting  a  part  of  a  large  room  from  Mr. 
E.  M.  Grattan,  printer  and  stationer,  he  hung  out  a  sign,  printed 
in  conspicuous  black  letters,  f'T.  H.  Cone,  Real  Estate  Agent." 
He  took  the  office  on  the  i6th  of  November,  paying  a  month's 


A    VALUABLE    PACKET. 

rent  in  advance ;  and  on  the  i6th  of  December  renewed  the 
lease  for  a  month  on  the  same  terms.  His  communications 
were  written  on  tinted  paper,  bearing  the  printed  letter-head, 
"Thomas  H.  Cone,  Real  Estate  Broker,  No.  323  Chestnut 
vStreet,  Philadelphia ; "  and  printed  cards,  adorned  with  the 
same  inscription,  were  freely  distributed.  Modest  placards 
were  posted  up  in  the  neighborhood  to  inform  the  public  that 
parties  desiring  to  buy,  sell,  or  lease  real  estate,  could  be 
accommodated  by  calling  on  Thomas  H.  Cone. 

During  office  hours  Cone  seemed  to  be  driven  with  work. 
He  had  few  callers,  but  his  pen  was  constantly  flying.  Per- 
sons having  business  with  Mr.  Grattan,  the  landlord,  and 
observing  the  industry  of  the  great  real-estate  broker,  were 
vaguely  impressed  with  the  idea  that  he  was  a  rising  young 
man,  born  to  thrive  and  prosper.  How  could  bargains  and 
greenbacks  help  gravitating  toward  so  bright  and  active  a 
youth  any  more  than  the  raindrops  can  help  falling  upon  the 
lap  of  earth? 

Occasionally  mysterious  packages,  directed  to  "Thomas  H. 
Cone,  No.  323  Chestnut  Street,"  were  delivered  at  the  office. 
These  were  neatly  done  up,  heavily  sealed  with  wax,  and 
marked  as  containing  money.  Clerks  and  messenger-boys 
began  to  regard  the  stranger  with  the  deference  instinctively 
rendered  in  a  material  age  by  impecuniosity  to  wealth.  He 
was  evidently  a  capitalist  —  destined  perhaps  at  no  distant  day 
to  be  one  of  the  millionaires  of  the  city.  In  an  unlucky 
hour,  however,  the  swelling  wave  of  confidence  received  a 
rude  shock,  and  came  near  dissolving  into  mist.  A  package 
externally  similar  to  the  others  came  from  Trenton  one  day 
when  Cone  happened  to  be  away.  Not  foreseeing  a  contin- 
gency of  this  sort,  and  aiming  by  an  air  of  assurance  to 
inspire  a  feeling  of  trust  in  the  minds  of  his  associates,  he  had 
incautiously  authorized  one  of  the  clerks  of  Mr.  Grattan  to 
open  valuable  packets  in  his  absence.  As  the  curiosity  of  the 
youth  had  been  already  whetted  to  a  keen  edge  by  like  tokens 
of  inflowing  affluence,  he  lost  no  time  in  following  to  the  letter 


280 


THE    CONSPIRATORS. 


the  instructions  of  his  principal.     He  hurriedly  tore  open  the 
wrappage,  expecting  to  discover  a  huge  roll  of  bills,  but  found 

nothing  more 
valuable  than 
a  bundle  of  ob- 
solete railroad 
time  -tables. 
The  clerk  was 
astonished  and 
in  some  degree 
troubled.  He 
might  be  ac- 
cused of  steal- 
i  n  g  the  con- 
tents, and  of 
taking  this 
coarse  method 
of  covering  the 
crime.  On  the 
return  of  Cone, 
he  hastened  to 
explain  the  in- 
was  not  a  little 
relieved  to  find  how  coolly 
that  gentleman  received  the 
information. 

"O,"  said  the  broker,  ey- 
ing the  melancholy  ruins 
with  a  curious  smile,  "my 
friend  has  made  an  absurd 
mistake.  I  must  notify  him 
at  once,  and  he  will  make  it 
all  right,  as  you  will  see." 

He  sat  down  at  his  desk,  and,  dashing  off  a  letter  or  dis- 
patch, hastened  to  acquaint  his  mythical  correspondent  with 
the  facts.  By  this  time  the  forger  had  become  too  skilled  in 


Expecting  to  discover  a  huge  roll 
of  bills,  he  found  nothing  more 
valuable  than  a  bundle  of  obso- 
lete railroad  time-tables." 


T.    H.    CONE,    REAL    ESTATE    AGENT,    WANTED.  28l 

artifice,  and  too  self-possessed  in  manner,  to  be  thrown  off  his 
guard  by  a  slight  mishap  like  the  discovery  made  by  the 
clerk.  His  little  device  succeeded  perfectly.  Meeting  the 
clerk  the  next  day,  Cone  exhibited  a  check,  remarking,  "You 
see  it  is  all  right,  as  I  told  you  it  would  be.  When  my  friend 
learned  of  his  blunder,  he  immediately  sent  me  this."  Fear- 
ing that  the  story  might  get  abroad  to  the  injury  of  his  credit, 
Cone  explained  the  "joke"  at  the  express  office,  enjoying  a 
hearty  laugh  at  his  own  expense. 

At  this  juncture  the  Adams  Express  Company  applied  to 
Pinkerton's  agency  to  aid  in  hunting  down  the  thieves,  Major 
Benjamin  Franklin,  the  acute  and  accomplished  superintendent 
of  the  Philadelphia  division,  taking  charge  of  the  work.  He 
immediately  proceeded  to  inquire  into  all  the  known  circum- 
stances connected  with  the  brief  sojourn  of  the  forger  in  the 
city,  but  very  little  was  to  be  learned.  It  was  discovered  that 
he  had  boarded  somewhere  on  Columbia  Avenue,  but  at  what 
house  no  one  could  tell.  The  few  acquaintances,  temporarily 
cultivated  for  the  purpose  of  identification,  knew  nothing  of 
his  haunts  or  habits,  and  had  no  information  which  threw  the 
slightest  light  upon  the  mystery  of  his  disappearance.  The 
sign,  painted  in  bold  letters,  "T.  H.  Cone,  Real  Estate 
Agent,"  still  glared  an  ominous  defiance  in  the  very  face  of 
the  agency ;  and  this,  on  a  casual  scrutiny,  seemed  to  be  the 
only  remaining  memento  of  the  swindler.  Fortunately  for 
the  ends  of  justice,  nothing,  however  minute  or  apparently 
insignificant,  escaped  the  trained  eye  of  the  detective.  Major 
Franklin  visited  the  late  office  of  Cone.  A  desk  and  a  chair 
or  two  constituted  the  only  furniture.  He  lifted  the  cover  of 
the  desk  to  find  only  rusty  pens,  waste  paper,  a  bottle  of  ink, 
and  a  few  printed  cards  and  letter-heads.  It  looked  like  a 
hopeless  search,  when  the  major  picked  up  a  piece  of  blotting- 
paper.  Ordinarily  nothing  could  seem  more  trivial  or  value- 
less than  a  sheet  of  dusty,  ink-besmeared,  discarded  blotting- 
paper,  but  in  this  instance  it  afforded  the  clue  which  was  to 
lead  to  the  capture  of  the  robber  and  of  his  daring  associate  in 


282  THE    CONSPIRATORS. 

crime.  Isolated  as  Cone  seemed  to  live,  he  wrote  to  a  few  cor- 
respondents, and  had  blotted  sundry  letters  and  envelopes  upon 
the  sheet  that  was  now  passing  under  the  keen  scrutiny  of 
Major  Franklin.  The  impression  of  the  addresses,  reversed, 
were  scattered  over  the  paper,  some  clear  and  others  dim,  but 
quite  a  number  easily  recognizable.  By  aid  of  a  looking- 
glass,  placed  at  right  angles  upon  the  pad,  the  names  ap- 
peared as  written,  and  one  was  "  W.  R.  Wales,  White  House, 
Ohio."  The  discovery  was  made  January  I4th. 

Major  Franklin  at  once  sent  skilled  operatives  to  hunt  up 
the  owners  of  the  respective  names,  to  inquire  into  their 
antecedents  and  habits,  with  the  view  of  learning  whether 
either  one  was  probably  concerned  in  the  crimes.  They 
went  east  and  west,  covering'  the  whole  field  simultaneously. 
With  a  single  exception,  all  whose  lives  and  conduct  were 
thus  brought  under  review,  were  soon  pronounced  free  from 
guilty  complicity  with  the  forger. 

The  detective  who  went  to  White  House,  Ohio,  was  not 
long  in  reaching  the  conclusion  that  he  had  struck  the  right 
trail.  Wales  was  absent  from  home  when  the  investi- 
gation began,  but  the  operative  noiselessly  explored  his 
haunts,  and  became  acquainted  with  his  history.  He  soon 
learned  that  Wales  was  fast  and  extravagant,  given  to 
expensive  vices,  and  reckless  in  the  waste  of  money.  He 
gambled  heavily,  for  the  most  part  on  the  losing  side,  culti- 
vating at  the  same  time  the  society  of  bad  men  and  abandoned 
women. 

By  this  time  the  special  agents  of  the  department  had 
learned  that  all  the  losses  occurred  on  the  runs  of  Mr. 
Reuben  Harmon,  one  of  the  head  clerks  on  the  railway 
postal  route  between  Toledo  and  Buffalo.  As  already  stated, 
the  distribution  on  this  great  thoroughfare  was  so  heavy  as 
to  require  four  men  to  each  car,  two  for  assorting  letters, 
and  two  for  papers.  Going  east,  Mr.  Harmon  handled  the 
letters  for  New  England  and  New  York. 

The    depredations    not    only    occurred    on    his    trips,    but 


ANOTHER    MYSTERIOUS    PROCEEDING.  283 

fell  exclusively  upon  the  states  for  which  he  distributed. 
Whether  innocent  or  guilty,  these  circumstances  amply 
sufficed  to  fasten  suspicion  upon  him,  and  to  justify  the 
officers  of  the  department  in  exercising  a  close  surveillance 
over  his  movements.  Another  singular  fact  clouded  the 
reputation  of  the  "crew"  running  under  Harmon  as  head 
clerk.  On  several  occasions,  letters  bearing  the  postmark 
of  offices  along  the  line  of  the  Lake  Shore  and  its  feeders, 
were  found  by  the  local  carrier  in  the  Exchange  Street 
letter-box,  near  the  depot  at  Buffalo.  A  comparison  of  dates 
showed  that  in  each  instance  these  came  through  at  the 
times  when  the  robberies  were  perpetrated.  Mr.  William  B. 
Thompson,  chief  clerk  charged  with  the  general  super- 
vision of  postal  matters  on  the  route,  at  first  surmised  that 
"the  boys"  neglected  to  clean  out  their  car  properly,  and 
that  afterwards  finding  these  letters,  and  being  ashamed  to 
take  them  to  the  post-office,  they  deposited  them  in  a  street 
box.  When  interrogated  on  the  subject,  each  and  all  denied 
that  they  had  done  so.  It  was  still  possible  that  the  railroad 
hand  who  swept  the  car  after  the  clerks  had  left,  might 
have  found  them,  and  through  inadvertence  taken  them  to 
the  most  convenient  depository ;  but  he,  too,  stated  un- 
equivocally that  he  had  never  seen  a  letter  either  in  the 
boxes  or  on  the  floor  while  cleaning  the  room. 

But  one  solution  of  the  enigma  remained.  The  thief, 
whoever  he  might  be,  after  overhauling  the  plunder  and 
making  such  selections  as  promised  the  most  abundant  re- 
turns, restored  the  residue,  not  caring,  perhaps,  to  harass 
the  public  where  no  profit  could  be  made.  A  side  box  was 
probably  selected  as  the  receptacle,  because  the  manipu- 
lator would  be  less  likely  to  attract  attention  than  at  the 
office,  where  it  was  not  impossible  that  the  return  of  a 
number  of  letters  already  postmarked  might  lead  to  instant 
detection. 

The  drafts  being  deposited  for  collection  in  from  one  to 
three  days  after  they  were  stolen,  it  was  surmised  at  first 


284  THE    CONSPIRATORS. 

that  the  forger  met  the  dishonest  clerk  at  the  cars,  and, 
after  taking  the  plunder,  hurried  to  the  town  where  he  had 
made  arrangements  to  secure  identification.  By  this  time 
the  agents  were  satisfied  that  Rugby,  Bogart,  Randall,  and 
Cone  were  one  and  the  same  person,  and  that  his  real  name 
was  R.  L.  Dudley — a  former  resident  of  Allegheny  City. 
An  accurate  description  of  him  was  obtained  and  placed  in 
the  hands  of  the  various  officers  on  the  watch. 

Patiently  and  perseveringly  the  agents  applied  in  vain 
the  tests  which  usually  succeed  in  fastening  the  evidence 
of  guilt  upon  depredators  on  the  mails.  Their  ingenuity 
was  racked  in  contriving  new  devices  for  the  detection  of 
the  offender,  and  still  the  losses  went  on.  Another  clerk 
was  introduced  into  the  car  who  was  specially  charged  to 
watch  every  movement  of  the  suspected  party  during  his 
entire  week  of  duty.  A  special  agent  rode  up  and  down 
the  road,  incog.,  to  observe  what  took  place  on  the  outside 
of  the  railway  post-office,  yet  nothing  wrong  was  discov- 
ered. Decoy  letters,  after  passing  through  the  hands  of  the 
suspected  clerks,  reappeared  intact,  while  nothing  whatever 
could  be  discerned  in  their  movements  to  indicate  guilt.  In 
fact,  the  more  closely  the  innocent  are  watched,  the  more 
clearly  their  virtue  is  revealed. 

About  the  middle  of  February,  the  last  and  crowning 
robbery  of  the  series  was  perpetrated.  While  detectives 
were  on  the  lookout  for  Wales,  he  suddenly  turned  up  again 
in  Ohio,  and,  making  a  trip  over  the  Lake  Shore  road,  dis- 
appeared as  suddenly  as  he  came.  He  departed,  however, 
heavily  freighted  with  letters  stolen  from  Harmon's  car. 
Proceeding  over  the  Central  Road,  he  met  his  confederate, 
as  was  subsequently  learned,  in  the  depot  at  Albany,  hav- 
ing telegraphed  from  Rochester  of  his  coming.  Going 
together  to  the  Delavan  House,  and  finding  the  haul  a  rich 
one,  they  spent  the  evening  hilariously. 

The  next  morning,  our  acquaintance  of  many  aliases  rode 
over  to  Troy,  and  deposited  with  the  National  Express  Com- 


PLAYING  FOR  A  LARGE  STAKE.  285 

pany  for  collection  a  draft  calling  for  $1829.  Among  the 
letters  stolen  on  the  late  trip  over  the  Lake  Shore  wa's  one 
mailed  February  nth,  at  St.  Louis,  Missouri,  by  Richard- 
son &  Co.,  to  J.  C.  Ayer  &  Co.,  of  Lowell,  Massachu- 
setts, containing  a  draft  for  $15,719.11,  a  sum  sufficiently 
large  to  call  for  the  greatest  circumspection  in  the  method 
of  presenting  it.  The  forger  took  this  to  New  York  city 
in  person ;  but  failing  to  be  satisfactorily  identified,  carried 
it  back  to  Troy,  and,  on  drawing  the  $1829,  left  it  with  the 
same  company  to  be  collected.  The  amount  involved  was 
so  great  that  the  rogues,  eager  to  secure  the  booty  but 
apprehensive  of  trouble,  returned  in  company  to  New  York 
for  the  purpose  of  seeing  whether  the  draft  was  honored 
by  the  bank  on  which  it  was  drawn.  The  forger,  who  from 
acknowledged  superiority  of  address  and  assurance,  managed 
all  the  more  delicate  operations,  repaired  early  to  the  bank, 
and  hung  around  for  hours  on  pretense  that  he  expected  a 
friend.  During  the  time  he  engaged  in  conversation  with 
the  local  detective.  Though  his  attention  was  strained  to 
the  utmost,  he  could  not  follow  the  rapid  methods  of 
doing  business  over  the  counter,  or  gain  any  information 
in  reference  to  the  draft.  Somewhat  disheartened  at  the 
unsatisfactory  result  of  the  journey,  the  pair  returned  to 
Troy  the  same  night,  arriving  there  at  eight  the  next 
morning. 

As  a  preliminary  move,  Wales  went  to  the  express  office 
to  learn  if  any  parties  likely  to  make  trouble  were  to  be 
seen  about  the  place.  Not  being  known  himself,  his  confed- 
erate having  deposited  the  papers,  he  swaggered  up  to  the 
desk  of  the  delivery-clerk,  and  inquired,  "Is  there  a  pair  of 
boots  here  for  George  Campbell  ?  " 

Having  examined  his  books,  the  expressman  answered  in 
the  negative. 

"They  ought  to  be  here,"  said  the  thief,  "and  it  is  a  d — n 
shame  that  I  am  disappointed."  With  that  he  continued  the 
conversation  briefly  on  irrelevant  matters,  closely  noticing 


286  THE    CONSPIRATORS. 

everybody  and  everything,  but  saw  nothing  to  excite  suspi- 
cion that  any  unusual  movement  was  on  foot. 

Never  before  had  the  thieves  so  much  at  stake,  and  they 
played  the  game  with  corresponding  caution.  To  make 
sure  that  no  officer  of  the  law  had  been  hunting  for  him 
in  his  absence,  Dudley  first  visited  the  room  where  he  kept 
a  desk,  and  was  reassured  by  learning  that  no  inquiries 
had  been  made  for  him.  He  then  strolled  over  to  the 
express  office  with  as  much  apparent  coolness  as  if  the 
receipt  of  fifteen  thousand  dollar  packages  was  a  matter  of 
daily  occurrence.  A  hurried  glance  around  the  establish- 
ment confirming  the  favorable  report  of  Wales,  he  asked 
the  cashier  if  the  draft  had  been  paid.  That  official  an- 
swered affirmatively,  adding  that  he  could  not  deliver  the 
money,  as  a  letter  had  been  received  from  the  superin- 
tendent in  New  York,  directing  them  not  to  pay  it  to  any 
one  unless  fully  identified  and  responsible. 

The  forger,  who  passed  in  Troy  under  the  name  of  W. 
W.  Gray,  had  devoted  himself  during  the  whole  period  of 
his  residence  there,  to  preparations  for  this  very  emergency. 
Foreseeing  what  questions  would  be  asked  and  that  identifi- 
cation would  be  required,  he  rented  desk-room  on  his  arrival 
in  the  town  from  an  elderly  gentleman  of  high  standing  in 
the  community,  who,  with  his  son,  carried  on  the  business 
of  insurance.  The  time  had  now  come  for  utilizing  the 
acquaintance.  In  conformity  with  intimations  previously 
thrown  out,  Gray  finally  decided,  on  the  eventful  morning 
in  question,  to  take  a  life  policy  for  ten  thousand  dollars. 
The  agent  was  delighted.  As  the  city  had  been  repeatedly 
combed  by  solicitors,  it  was  a  novel  experience  to  meet 
with  a  customer  who  applied  voluntarily  for  the  benefits 
which  heretofore  he  had  been  compelled  to  expend  much 
time  and  eloquence  in  commending.  Most  of  the  patrons  re- 
corded on  the  books  of  the  agency  had  finally  surrendered, 
after  frequent  bombardments,  only  to  avoid  the  worse  alter- 
native of  death  in  the  last  ditch.  The  heart  of  the  old  gentle- 


USING    AN    INSURANCE    AGENT.  287 

man  warmed  with  a  generous  regard  for  the  prudent  and 
provident  youth. 

While  the  agent  was  filling  up  the  application,  Gray  re- 
marked that  he  could  pay  the  first  installment  on  receiving 
the  proceeds  of  a  draft  left  with  the  express  company  for  col- 
lection. "As  I  am  not  very  well  known  around  there,"  con- 
tinued the  forger,  "are  you  willing  to  take  the  trouble  of 
walking  over  and  vouching  for  me  ?  " 

"Certainly,  certainly,  sir,"  replied  the  insurance  man, 
thrown  completely  off  his  guard  by  the  coolness  of  the  appli- 
cant, and  blinded  by  eagerness  to  secure  the  premium.  "It 
will  give  me  great  pleasure  to  do  so,  or  to  serve  you  in  any 
other  way." 

Together  they  proceeded  deliberately  to  the  office,  chatting 
pleasantly  on  the  way.  "  Permit  me  to  introduce  my  friend, 
Mr.  Gray  —  Mr.  W.  W.  Gray,"  said  the  agent  to  the  cashier. 
Thus  vouched  for,  the  identity  of  the  robber  was  not  further 
questioned.  The  money  —  mostly  in  small  bills  —  was  de- 
livered over  the  counter,  the  pile  filling  a  medium-sized  car- 
pet-bag. 

On  leaving  the  doorway,  Gray  asked  his  very  serviceable 
acquaintance,  "What  bank  would  you  recommend  as  safe? 
As  soon  as  I  deposit  the  money,  I  will  call  at  your  office  and 
take  the  policy." 

"Well,"  replied  the  agent,  "they  are  all  good,  I  believe; 
the  First  National  is  convenient  and  accommodating." 

With  polite  thanks  for  the  information,  and  the  assurance 
that  he  would  "  soon  be  around,"  Gray,  waving  a  courteous 
adieu  to  his  companion,  disappeared  around  the  corner. 

That  evening  the  insurance  agent  lingered  at  the  office 
much  beyond  the  usual  hour,  waiting  for  the  return  of  the 
customer.  He  waited  the  next  day,  and  many  days,  not 
receiving  a  penny  in  the  way  of  premium  to  console  him  for 
being  duped.  Having  used  the  ladder  to  mount  to  fortune, 
the  rogue,  as  usually  happens  in  such  cases,  kicked  it  con- 
temptuously aside  when  it  ceased  to  be  further  useful. 


288  THE    CONSPIRATORS. 

That  night,  the  pair  returned  to  New  York  city  with  over 
seventeen  thousand  dollars  as  the  proceeds  of  the  raid. 
Going  to  the  Metropolitan  Hotel,  they  divided  the  money  and 
separated  the  following  day,  to  meet  next  under  very  different 
circumstances. 

Wales  returned  to  White  House,  Ohio,  elated  at  the  success 


"That  evening,  the  insurance  agent  lingered  at  the  office  much  beyond 
the  usual  hour,  waiting  for  the  return  of  the  customer." 

of  his  late  enterprise.  An  operative  detailed  by  Pinkerton's 
agency  for  the  purpose  was  already  on  the  ground,  waiting, 
somewhat  impatiently,  for  his  appearance.  From  this  time 
on  the  robber  was  kept  under  the  closest  surveillance,  the 
detective,  unobserved  and  unsuspected,  following  him  contin- 


A  NEW   MOVE   MEDITATED.  289 

ually  when  out  of  the  house,  watching  with  sleepless  eye 
every  action  and  every  movement.  Whether  drinking  in 
saloons  or  swaggering  on  the  street,  an  ear  trained  by  long 
practice  to  preternatural  acuteness  of  hearing  listened  to 
every  word.  On  the  27th  of  February,  Wales  deposited  five 
thousand  dollars  in  the  First  National  Bank  of  Toledo.  He 
was  a  capitalist  now,  and,  besides  manifesting  wealth  by  lavish 
expenditure,  determined  to  go  into  business,  and  thus  com- 
mand the  consideration  which  loose  habits  and  a  wayward 
life  had  failed  to  secure.  In  pursuance  of  this  plan  he  pur- 
chased a  stone  quarry,  evidently  intending  to  devote  the  future 
to  legitimate  work.  Like  many  others,  however,  he  learned 
too  late  that  it  is  far  easier  to  embark  in  a  career  of  crime 
than  to  break  away  from  its  dangerous  fascinations.  The 
will  is  subject  to  strange  infirmities,  and,  when-  perverted  by 
evil  courses,  fails  to  respond  readily  to  reason  or  conscience. 
The  drunkard,  hanging  consciously  on  the  verge  of  ruin, 
cannot  abandon  the  cup.  So,  where  one's  morals  become 
unhinged  by  flagrant  outrages  upon  society,  it  is  vain  to 
expect  voluntary  reform.  Once  fairly  in  the  maelstrom, 
escape  is  well-nigh  impossible.  A  force  unseen  but  resistless 
draws  the  victim  on  to  ruin  and  retribution. 

Wales  was  ill  at  ease.  It  soon  became  apparent  that  he 
was  meditating  a  fresh  move,  and  the  detective  watched  the 
unfolding  drama  with  redoubled  vigilance.  Boon  companions 
ceased  to  interest,  and  after  a  few  days  the  stone  quarry  lost 
its  attractions.  Meanwhile  his  plans,  as  evidenced  by  various 
actions,  became  more  and  more  uncertain  and  vacillating. 
All  at  once,  forming  a  sudden  resolution,  he  packed  his 
trunk,  drew  several  hundred  dollars  from  bank,  and  pur- 
chased a  ticket  for  Troy,  New  York.  A  quiet,  unobtrusive 
man,  easily  mistaken  for  a  farmer  fresh  from  the  fields, 
whom  the  traveler  would  hardly  compliment  with  a  passing 
glance,  stood  near  the  platform  when  the  baggage  was 
checked,  and  followed  the  owner  aboard  the  train,  occupying 
a  section  in  the  same  sleeping-car.  In  due  time  the  journey 


290 


THE    CONSPIRATORS. 


was  accomplished,  the  eye  of  the  unsuspected  detective  fol- 
lowing the  movements  of  the  thief  with  the  relentlessness  of 
Fate.  Unconscious  of  the  impending  crash,  Wales  gave  no 
heed  to  the  "  countryman,"  who  had  now  become  a  companion 
as  inseparable  as  a  shadow  at  midday.  At  Troy,  a  ticket 


*  At  this  point,  a  new  character  appeared  on  the  scene,  in  the  person  of 
a  fresh,  fair,  blooming  young  woman." 

was  purchased  to  North  Adams,  Massachusetts,  the  eager 
traveler  pushing  on  as  if  destiny  depended  on  speed. 

At  this  point  a  new  character  appeared  on  the  scene  in  the 
person  of  a  fresh,  fair,  blooming  young  woman,  apparently 
eighteen  or  twenty  years  of  age.  The  warmth  of  the  greet- 
ing, reinforced  by  the  interchange  of  magnetic  glances, 


A    DANGEROUS    CONFIDANT. 

sufficed  to  explain  the  unrest  of  the  robber  while  trying  to 
establish  a  business  in  the  vicinity  of  Toledo.  The  couple 
proceeded  together  to  Pittsfield,  where  Wales  registered  as 
9  Henry  Norman  and  wife,  of  Toledo,"  the  detective  securing 
an  adjacent  room.  The  next  morning,  the  three  took  the 
train  for  Boston.  Wales  took  a  carriage  to  one  of  the  prin- 
cipal hotels,  and  registered  as  at  Pittsfield.  The  detective 
followed,  and  in  due  time,  by  skillful  manoeuvres,  furthered 
by  other  well-known  parties  who  now  mysteriously  rose  up 
to  share  in  the  denouement,  managed  to  secure  an  adjoining 
room  with  a  glass  transom  between. 

Lost  in  the  delights  of  illicit  love,  Wales  surrendered 
wholly  to  the  charms  of  the  enchantress.  Rare  fruits  and 
costly  wines  were  ordered  in  profusion.  All  that  a  plethoric 
pocket-book  could  do  to  purchase  pleasure  for  coarse  natures 
was  freely  contributed.  The  pair  took  a  few  drives  about  the 
city,  and  made  occasional  visits  to  places  of  entertainment, 
but  were  too  much  absorbed  in  each  other  to  care  to  waste 
much  time  on  the  cold  world  outside. 

Associations  of  this  character,  however,  are  dangerous  in 
more  ways  than  one.  Proud  of  his  achievements  as  a  swin- 
dler, Wales  could  not  repress  the  desire  to  talk  about  them, 
and,  in  the  absence  of  Dudley,  told  the  whole  story  to  his 
inamorata.  The  circumstances  were  not  given  in  a  con- 
nected narrative,  but  by  piecemeal,  at  odd  intervals,  the  curi- 
osity and  sympathy  of  the  woman  acting  as  a  powerful  stim- 
ulant upon  the  loquacious  vanity  of  the  man.  In  response  to 
timorous  suggestions  from  the  frail  beauty  that  a  day  of  reck- 
oning might  come,  he  threw  out  such  remarks  as,  "I  am  not 
afraid ;  they  will  never  find  me  out."  "  I  am  too  sharp  to  be 
caught."  "  Dudley  is  as  keen  as  they  make  them ;  that  last 
haul  of  his  was  a  good  one."  "I  can  always  tell  whether  a 
letter  has  got  money  in  it  by  the  way  it  feels  ;  practice  makes 
perfect." 

Fragments  of  conversation  imperfectly  overheard  tallied 
exactly  with  information  already  in  the  hands  of  the  detec- 


292  THE    CONSPIRATORS. 

lives.  One  day,  while  the  couple  were  out  on  an  excursion 
of  pleasure,  a  sleuth-hound  of  the  law,  contriving  to  gain 
entrance  to  their  apartment,  found  among  the  effects  of  Wales 
a  small  memorandum-book,  in  which  was  written  the  address 
"R.  D.  Randall,  Newark,  New  Jersey,"  in  the  now  familiar 
chirography  of  the  forger.  The  cumulative  weight  of  the 
evidence  already  developed  was  overwhelming.  Around  the 
wretched  criminal,  unconscious  of  danger  and  buried  in 
the  enjoyment  of  gross  pleasures,  the  coils  were  tightening 
so  closely  that  escape  from  the  iron  gripe  was  no  longer  pos- 
sible. 

Of  course  it  is  very  naughty,  and  in  the  ordinary  relations 
of  life  altogether  indefensible,  for  the  prying  eye  and  listening 
ear  to  invade  the  sanctity  of  the  home  or  private  apartment 
of  another.  A  thoroughly  honest  person  will  no  more  appro- 
priate surreptitiously  the  secrets  than  steal  the  money  of  a 
neighbor.  Fortunately,  in  conducting  the  detective  operations 
of  the  post-office  department,  one  is  rarely  compelled,  even  by 
extreme  exigencies,  to  do  or  say  aught  repugnant  to  the  nicest 
sense  of  honor  or  duty.  The  unseen  agent  stands  aloof  from 
the  suspected  party,  abusing  no  confidence  express  or  implied, 
but  ready  in  case  of  theft  to  pounce  on  the  criminal  like  an 
eagle  on  its  prey.  So  long  as  postmasters  and  clerks  remain 
honest,  their  immunity  is  absolute.  Decoys  may  drop  around 
them  like  autumn  leaves,  but  they  fall  harmlessly,  the  test 
only  demonstrating  more  clearly  the  integrity  of  the  person 
subjected  to  the  ordeal. 

The  case  of  Wales  fell  entirely  outside  of  the  ordinary  rou- 
tine ;  and  exceptional  diseases  require  exceptional  treatment. 
For  months  he  had  defied  the  laws  and  plundered  the  public. 
By  becoming  an  enemy  of  society,  all  the  more  dangerous 
because  not  openly  avowed,  he  renounced  the  protection  of  the 
safeguards  which  by  common  consent  render  sacred  the  per- 
sonality of  the  individual.  As  in  their  estimation  it  was  a 
matter  of  paramount  importance  to  accumulate  all  possible 
proofs  of  the  facts,  the  detectives  employed  on  the  case  with- 


TRANSPORTS    OF    RECONCILIATION.  293 

out  hesitation  adopted  the  maxim  of  Loyola,  that  "the  end 
justifies  the  means." 

All  things  have  an  end,  and  the  last  delirious  episode  in  the 
career  of  Wales  was  drawing  to  a  close.  The  genius  of  un- 
rest had  seized  upon  him.  He  could  truly  say,  — 

"  Man  delights  not  me,  nor  woman  neither." 

From  fragmentary  remarks  and  various  preparations,  it  was 
learned  that  the  pair  were  about  to  depart ;  she  to  return  to 
North  Adams,  and  he  to  Ohio.  During  the  visit  to  Boston 
he  had  lavished  upon  her  his  ill-gotten  wealth  with  reckless 
prodigality;  but  now,  on  the  eve  of  separation,  measuring  her 
love  by  the  standard  of  vile  greenbacks,  she  demanded  a  large 
sum  as  the  price  of  her  companionship.  Although  barely  two 
months  had  elapsed  since  he  bore  off  over  eight  thousand  dol- 
lars as  his  share  in  the  robbery  consummated  at  Troy,  the 
rapid  shrinkage  of  his  bank  account  during  the  short  interim 
warned  him  that  at  this  rate  the  last  penny  would  soon  be 
reached,  and  he  accordingly  demurred  at  first  to  the  extrav- 
agance of  the  claim.  Then  remembering  that  various  confi- 
dential disclosures  placed  him  completely  at  her  mercy,  he 
proceeded  to  count  out  the  currency,  growing  more  slow  and 
deliberate  as  the  pile  swelled  in  proportions.  Finally,  in  a 
voice  blending  persuasiveness  with  menace,  she  proposed,  as 
a  finality,  "  Give  me  twenty-five  more,  and  make  an  even  six 
hundred." 

The  "boys"  in  the  next  room  had  fixed  up  a  temporary 
platform,  mounted  on  which  one  of  the  number  watched  these 
proceedings  through  a  small  aperture  in  the  curtain  stretched 
across  the  transom-window.  Making  a  virtue  of  necessity, 
Wales  paid  over  the  additional  twenty-five  dollars,  when  the 
late  storm  was  succeeded  by  a  peaceful  and  happy  calm,  the 
affections  of  the  couple  seeming  to  revive  with  former  fervor. 
While  the  officer  deputed  to  perform  the  unwelcome  task  was 
watching  intently  the  transports  of  reconciliation,  the  fragile 
support  underneath  gave  way,  the  platform  and  detective 


294 


THE    CONSPIRATORS. 


tumbling  promiscuously  to  the  floor  with  a  crash  that  seemed 
to  echo  through  the  halls  like  peals  of  thunder.  Between 
consternation  at  the  mishap  and  efforts  to  repress  uncontrol- 


Watching  Intently  the  transports  of  reconciliation,  the  fragile  sup- 
port underneath  gave  way,  and  the  detective  tumbled  promis- 
cuously to  the  floor." 

lable  laughter,  the  "boys"  were  in  a  bad  dilemma.  However, 
no  bones  were  broken,  and  the  damage  to  furniture  was  too 
small  for  consideration. 


CAPTURED    ON   A    SLEEPING  CAR.  295 

In  a  few  hours  Wales  was  again  on  the  way  to  Toledo. 
The  watchful,  patient,  sleepless  detective  from  Pinkerton's 
corps,  Mr.  J.  W.  Corson, — who  had  taken  him  up  at  White 
House,  dogged  his  steps  to  the  bank,  the  quarry,  the  bar- 
room, and  the  theatre,  accompanied  him  to  North  Adams 
and  on  his  pleasure  bout  to  Boston,  — still  hung  on  his  steps 
like  an  avenging  demon.  The  train  passed  Erie,  Pennsyl- 
vania, about  four  o'clock  in  the  morning.  As  several  of  the 
drafts  were  collected  at  Pittsburgh  and  Philadelphia,  bringing 
the  crimes  within  the  jurisdiction  of  the  federal  courts  of 
Pennsylvania,  Corson  was  provided  with  a  warrant  for  the 
arrest  of  the  robber,  which  it  was  necessary  to  serve  within 
the  limits  of  that  state.  The  detective  occupied  the  same 
sleeping-car  on  the  journey.  As  the  train  thundered  into 
Erie,  Corson,  pulling  aside  the  curtain  in  front  of  Wales's 
berth,  gave  him  a  gentle  shake. 

"What  is  the  matter?"  asked  the  half  awakened  sleeper, 
slowly  opening  his  eyes,  and  as  yet  not  even  dreaming  that 
danger  was  near. 

"You  are  my  prisoner!"  answered  Corson,  with  freezing 
deliberation  and  emphasis. 

*  Your  prisoner!"  echoed  the  terror-stricken  wretch. 
"There  is  some  mistake  here.  You  have  got  the  wrong 
man.  What  have  I  done?" 

"Robbed  the  United  States  mails,"  replied  Corson,  "com- 
mitted numerous  forgeries,  and  swindled  the  express  compa- 
nies. Isn't  that  enough?  Your  game  is  played  out.  You 
are  caged  at  last,  and,  what  is  more,  I  know  all  the  facts.  I 
shall  take  you  to  Philadelphia.  If  you  go  along  quietly  and 
behave  yourself,  I  will  treat  you  like  a  gentleman.  If  you 
try  to  make  trouble,  I  shall  put  you  in  irons.  The  manner  in 
which  you  make  the  trip  depends  on  yourself." 

"  Do  not  handcuff  me,"  begged  the  thief.  "  I  will  do  just  as 
you  say,  and  make  no  attempt  to  escape." 

Corson  took  the  first  train  for  Philadelphia,  and  that  even- 
ing delivered  the  prisoner  into  the  custody  of  Superintendent 


296 


THE    CONSPIRATORS. 


Franklin.  This  was  the  2pth  of  March,  1873.  On  searching 
his  person,  they  found  $233  in  currency ;  a  gold  watch  and 
chain,  valued  at  $400 ;  one  cluster  diamond  ring,  $325  ;  a 
diamond  breast-pin,  $225;  two  diamond  shirt-studs,  $250; 
and  the  memorandum-book  already  referred  to,  containing 


"  There  is  some  mistake  here.    You  have  got  the  wrong  man.    What 
have  I  done  ?  " 

the  address  of  "  R.  D.  Randall,  Newark,  New  Jersey,"  writ- 
ten by  the  forger,  and  also  the  name  "C.  H.  Bogart,"  the 
alias  of  Dudley  at  Buffalo. 

In  addition  to  the  above,  there  was  found  quite  a  package 
of  railroad  tickets,  covering  various  lines  from  the  Mississippi 
to  the  Atlantic,  some  unused,  and  others  punched.  The  pris- 


A   FULL    AND    FREE    CONFESSION. 

oner  was  plentifully  supplied  with  visiting-cards  bearing  the 
address  "  Henry  Norman."  This  was  one  of  the  names  on  the 
blotting-pad  that  furnished  the  first  clue  to  the  connection 
between  Dudley  and  Wales.  The  latter  also  registered  as 
"Henry  Norman"  in  hotels  at  Philadelphia,  Albany,  Pitts- 
field,  and  other  places. 

By  direction  of  Wales,  the  money  and  jewelry  were  turned 
over  to  Adams  Express  Company  on  the  ground  that  the 
articles  were  purchased  wholly  or  in  part  with  funds  stolen 
from  that  company.  The  work  of  restitution  was  carried  still 
further.  Of  the  five  thousand  dollars  deposited  on  the  27th 
of  February  in  the  First  National  Bank  of  Toledo,  two  thou- 
sand still  remained  to  the  credit  of  the  robber.  This,  together 
with  various  other  property  in  Ohio,  was  also  surrendered  to 
the  company. 

Pinkerton's  agency  occupies  a  massive,  five-storied  building 
in  the  business  center  of  Philadelphia.  Wales  was  placed 
on  the  third  floor  in  a  sort  of  honorable  confinement,  being 
allowed  almost  every  privilege  except  liberty.  Excellent  fare, 
moistened  not  unfrequently  with  choice  wines,  was  served 
regularly  three  times  a  day.  Mr.  George  H.  Bangs,  the  gen- 
eral superintendent  at  New  York,  and  Major  Franklin,  treated 
the  prisoner  with  great  kindness,  and  soon  won  his  entire  con- 
fidence. Meanwhile  the  arrest  was  kept  quiet,  since  all  parties 
were  anxious  for  the  apprehension  of  Dudley,  as  much  the 
more  accomplished  and  dangerous  rascal  of  the  two.  Even 
Wales  shared  in  the  general  solicitude,  believing  that  in  some 
way  his  own  shattered  fortunes  would  be  bettered  by  the  cap- 
ture of  his  late  confederate. 

Melted  by  the  kindly  atmosphere  and  good  cheer  of  his  new 
quarters,  and,  finding  all  the  material  facts  in  regard  to  the 
robberies  already  in  possession  of  the  officers,  the  prisoner 
soon  sought  relief  for  overcharged  feelings  by  making  a  full 
and  free  confession.  Talk  he  must,  and,  as  the  whole  current 
of  his  thoughts  and  fears  and  hopes  flowed  in  one  narrow, 
swift  channel,  the  conversation  turned  continually  to  the 


THE    CONSPIRATORS. 

series  of  events  that  had  ended  in  exposure,  disgrace,  and 
captivity. 

Wales  was  born  in  January,  1846,  at  York,  Sandusky 
County,  Ohio.  Ten  years  later  the  family  moved  to  Fremont, 
in  the  same  state,  and  thence  successively  to  Clyde,  Cleveland, 
Swanton,  and  White  House.  At  different  places  the  father  filled 
responsible  positions,  having  been  postmaster  at  Clyde,  route 


"Excellent  fare,  moistened  not  unfrequently  with  choice  wines,  won  his 
entire  confidence,  and  talk  he  must." 

agent  between  Cleveland  and  Toledo,  and  deputy  United  States 
marshal,  holding  the  last  position  for  six  years.  Early  in  the 
war,  young  Wales,  then  a  mere  lad,  enlisted  in  the  One  Hun- 
dred and  Twenty-Eighth  Ohio  Infantry,  serving  for  twenty 
months,  most  of  the  time  as  orderly  to  the  colonel.  After 
returning  home,  he  found  employment  a  few  months  as  brake- 
man  on  the  Toledo,  Wabash,  and  Western  Railroad,  but, 


LEARNING    THE    BUSINESS.  299 

finding  the  work  disagreeable,  threw  up  the  situation,  and,  in 
company  with  his  father,  built  a  hotel  and  restaurant  at  White 
House. 

November  i5th,  1866,  he  was  appointed  by  the  post-office 
department  route  agent  on  the  Lake  Shore  Road,  and  marrying 
shortly  afterwards,  located  in  Toledo.  While  thus  employed, 
the  eating-house  burned  down,  and  he  used  the  insurance 
money  to  build  a  home  in  Toledo.  In  the  year  1867,  a  line 
of  railway  post-offices  was  established  between  Buffalo  and 
Toledo,  Wales  being  promoted  to  a  clerkship  on  the  iyth  of 
October,  at  an  annual  salary  of  twelve  hundred  dollars. 

These  positions,  though  laborious,  are  much  sought  after. 
A  few  months  later,  Mr.  Reuben  Harmon  came  on  the  road 
to  learn  the  distribution,  without  an  appointment  or  pay,  but 
with  a  permit  to  ride  in  the  mail-room,  hoping  in  due  time  to 
be  added  to  the  list  of  the  fortunate.  Having  no  special  apti- 
tude for  the  work,  and  no  claim  on  the  regular  appointees, 
Harmon  progressed  slowly,  and  was  becoming  discouraged, 
when  he  happened  one  day  to  drop  into  the  car  of  Wales,  who 
invited  him  to  join  their  set,  and  volunteered  to  teach  him 
the  mysteries  of  the  trade.  The  invitation  was  accepted,  and 
the  two  got  on  swimmingly  together,  the  good-natured  pa- 
tience of  the  old  hand  matching  well  with  the  docility  of 
the  new  one,  who  improved  so  rapidly  that  he  soon  received 
from  the  department  an  appointment  in  the  lowest  grade  of 
clerkships.  They  worked  at  the  same  table,  and  became  fast 
friends. 

At  this  time,  according  to  the  admissions  of  Wales,  he  was 
in  the  habit  of  stealing  letters  supposed  to  be  valuable,  having 
entered  upon  a  course  of  dishonesty  while  running  as  route 
agent.  He  appropriated  whatever  money  he  found,  but  de- 
stroyed drafts,  checks,  and  that  class  of  securities.  The  other 
clerks  knew  nothing  of  these  peculations,  and  there  is  no 
evidence  that  the  thief  was  even  suspected  of  criminal  prac- 
tices. With  a  change  of  administration  came  the  removal 
of  Wales,  which  took  place  June  loth,  1869,  the  unfortunate 


3OO  THE    CONSPIRATORS. 

explaining  his  downfall  on  the  supposition  that  he  "  shot  off 
his  mouth  too  much." 

From  this  time  on  Wales  led  a  miscellaneous  sort  of  life, 
roving  from  place  to  place,  and  changing  rapidly  from  one 
employment  to  another.  Destitute  alike  of  fixed  principles 
and  settled  habits,  he  occupied  a  position  of  unstable  equi- 
librium, ready  to  topple  into  the  arms  of  the  first  swindler 
who  pressed  temptation  with  suitable  arguments.  For  a  few 
months  he  ran  as  assistant  conductor  on  the  Lake  Shore, 
and  was  then  transferred  for  a  while  to  the  freight  office  at 
Toledo.  From  March  till  July,  1870,  he  kept  a  fruit  and  con- 
fectionery store  in  that  city,  and  then  began  to  travel  about 
the  country  as  an  agent  for  the  sale  of  baking-powders.  In 
the  fall  he  went  to  New  York  city,  to  seek  a  wider  field. 
For  a  time  he  got  on  comfortably,  selling  on  commission  for 
two  respectable  houses  engaged  in  different  lines  of  trade. 
The  arrangement,  however,  was  brief,  a  quarrel  soon  break*, 
ing  up  the  connection.  Domestic  trouble,  also,  long  in 
brewing,  now  culminated,  the  victim  of  evil  propensities  being 
as  unhappy  in  social  as  in  business  relations.  Reproofs  on 
the  part  of  the  wife  provoked  sullen  rejoinders  from  the  hus- 
band, till  affection  soured  into  hatred,  and  the  breach  became 
irreparable.  Giving  the  furniture  and  a  small  sum  of  money 
to  the  wife,  he  started  for  St.  Louis,  going  under  an  assumed 
name,  with  the  view  of  abandoning  her  forever. 

For  a  few  days  the  wanderer  found  nothing  to  do  and 
made  no  acquaintances,  spending  the  time  in  loafing  list- 
lessly about  places  of  public  resort.  To  relieve  the  tedium 
he  changed  boarding-houses,  and  through  the  intervention 
of  the  new  landlady  became  the  room-mate  of  a  stranger  who 
introduced  himself  as  R.  L.  Dudley.  Mutual  inquiries  were 
interchanged  in  reference  to  personal  histories,  plans,  and 
prospects.  Wales  could  make  but  a  sorry  statement  of  the 
outlook.  He  had  no  business,  and,  what  was  worse,  did 
not  know  where  to  hunt  for  any.  Dudley,  on  the  other  hand, 
was  cheerful  and  confident.  He  had  just  come  from  Cin- 


w  HARRY   NORMAN   &   CO."  30! 

cinnati,  where  he  had  been  engaged  in  getting  up  a  picture 
of  the  fountain  and  its  surroundings.  He  proposed  to  return 
thither  to  solicit  advertisements  for  the  further  adornment  of 
this  work  of  art,  and  then,  if  the  consent  of  the  captains 
could  be  secured,  to  place  the  lithographs,  nicely  framed, 
upon  the  various  steamers  plying  on  the  Ohio  and  Missis- 
sippi. Lack  of  funds  impeded  the  progress  of  the  enterprise 
sadly.  Printers  and  frame-makers  might  be  put  off  with  fair 
promises,  but  the  credit  system  in  the  end  greatly  enhanced 
the  cost  of  the  work.  It  was  suggested  to  Wales  that  he  might 
like  to  put  in  some  money  and  share  the  profits,  and  the 
proposition  met  a  favorable  response. 

For  the  sake  of  convenience  and  economy  they  began  to 
canvass  for  advertisements  in  St.  Louis,  after  obtaining  writ- 
ten permission  from  half  a  dozen  captains  to  hang  up  the 
pictures  on  their  boats.  The  work  dragged  heavily,  to  the 
speedy  discouragement  of  the  solicitors,  other  parties  having 
exhausted  the  field,  to  say  nothing  of  the  patience  of  the 
merchants. 

At  this  juncture  a  printer  suggested  that  they  could  do 
much  better  by  taking  up  the  play-bills  of  Rankin  and  De 
Bar's  theatres,  and  proposed  to  use  his  influence  with  the  man 
who  had  charge  of  the  publication  to  secure  the  job  for 
them.  The  negotiation  prospered,  and  a  bargain  was  made, 
the  new  firm  starting  under  the  name  of  "  Harry  Norman  & 
Co.,"  —  Wales  being  the  Norman,  and  Dudley  the  Co.  His 
aim  in  assuming  a  fictitious  address  was  to  conceal  his  move- 
ments from  his  wife.  The  two  succeeded  quite  well  in  get- 
ting advertisements  for  the  play-bills,  but  the  innate  rascality 
of  the  scamps  would  not  permit  them  to  deal  squarely.  In- 
ferring from  their  own  dishonest  purposes  that  their  employer 
intended  "to  beat"  them,  they  determined  to  get  the  start 
in  the  game,  and  collecting  what  was  due,  "jumped"  the 
town,  leaving  sundry  debts  to  printers  and  others  unpaid. 

While  in  "  business  "  together,  the  brace  of  worthies  had 
frequent  conversations,  and  were  not  long  in  coming  to  a 


3O2  THE    CONSPIRATORS. 

mutual  understanding.  Confidence  evoked  confidence,  and 
little  by  little  the  secrets  of  the  two  lives  were  revealed. 
With  limited  facilities  Dudley  had  contrived  to  pick  up  a  pre- 
carious livelihood  by  a  variety  of  small  swindles,  and  had 
acquired  some  experience  in  shoving  bogus  drafts.  The 
game  was  tried  unsuccessfully  on  three  of  the  banks  in  St. 
Louis,  the  respective  cashiers  not  caring  to  buy  eastern  ex- 
change of  a  stranger.  Perhaps  the  papers  had  a  suspicious 
appearance,  being  filled  by  comparative  novices  on  ordinary 
blanks.  At  any  rate,  Dudley  expressed  the  confident  belief 
that  there  would  be  no  serious  trouble  in  collecting  drafts  of 
genuine  origin  by  means  of  forged  indorsements. 

On  the  other  hand,  as  if  proud  of  the  accomplishment, 
Wales  explained  that  while  running  as  mail-agent  he  had 
become  expert  in  distinguishing  letters  which  contained  money 
and  other  valuable  inclosures,  boasting  that  the  correctness 
of  his  judgment  had  often  been  proved  by  actual  test. 

w  Have  you  any  acquaintances  still  on  the  road  ?  "  inquired 
Dudley. 

"Yes,  lots  of  them,"  replied  Wales  ;  "  and  some  very  warm 
friends." 

"  Now,  if  you  can  manage,"  continued  the  tempter,  "to  pass 
over  the  line  in  the  mail  car,  and  obtain  letters  containing 
drafts,  I  can  put  them  through,  and  we  will  divide  the  swag. 
It  is  the  biggest  thing  out." 

Already  thoroughly  demoralized,  Wales  did  not  need  to 
be  convinced  by  arguments  or  overcome  by  persuasion,  but 
rushed  into  the  scheme  with  the  blind  zeal  of  a  madman. 
Visions  of  wealth  and  splendor  glimmered  in  the  near  future. 
Why  remain  poor  and  despised  when  untold  treasures  could 
be  won  so  easily  ?  Others  might  be  held  back  by  silly  scru- 
ples about  honesty  —  not  he. 

"  There  is  a  tide  in  the  affairs  of  men, 
That,  taken  at  the  flood,  leads  on  to  fortune ; 
Omitted,  all  the  voyage  of  their  life 
Is  bound  in  shallows  and  in  miseries." 


A    SUPERSERVICEABLE    ASSISTANT.  303 

About  the  middle  of  April  both  started  eastward,  going  as 
far  as  Cincinnati  together.  There  they  parted ;  Dudley  pro- 
ceeding, by  way  of  Pittsburgh,  to  Buffalo,  where  his  wife 
was  then  living,  and  Wales  taking  the  line  via  Clyde,  where 
he  struck  the  Lake  Shore.  Visiting  Harmon  in  the  mail-car, 
he  went  to  work,  on  the  pretense  of  assisting  in  the  distribu- 
tion, and  while  so  engaged,  managed,  without  attracting  the 
attention  of  the  clerks,  to  secrete  a  large  number  of  letters  on 
his  person.  The  money  stolen,  not  being  embraced  in  the 
articles  of  copartnership,  he  appropriated  exclusively  to  his 
own  use,  but  the  negotiable  paper  was  turned  over  to  Dudley. 
The  difficulties  encountered  in  the  various  attempts  to  dis- 
pose of  this  lot  have  already  been  narrated.  Dudley  failed  to 
be  identified  as  C.  H.  Rugby  in  Albany,  and  in  New  York 
to  impose  on  Mr.  H.  B.  Claflin,  in  the  character  of  a  mer- 
chant from  Rowley,  Missouri.  The  four  hundred  and  sixty 
dollars  sponged  from  a  clothing-house  in  Philadelphia  little 
more  than  defrayed  the  expenses  of  the  trip. 

Dudley,  however,  was  too  apt  a  scholar  in  "  ways  that  are 
dark  and  tricks  that  are  vain,"  to  stumble  twice  over  the  same 
obstacle.  With  the  prosperous  haul  at  Pittsburgh,  where  he 
passed  under  his  real  name  and  experienced  no  trouble  in 
establishing  his  identity,  terminated  the  period  of  probation. 
From  that  time  on  the  confederates  worked  on  a  settled  plan, 
and  with  appalling  success.  Dudley  flitted  from  city  to  city, 
opening  offices  under  various  names  for  various  ostensible 
purposes,  with  the  sole  object  of  becoming  familiar  with  the 
attaches  at  the  express  offices,  and  of  beguiling  reputable  men 
to  vouch  for  his  identity.  When  the  preparations  were  com- 
plete, a  letter  would  be  sent  to  Wales,  at  White  House,  Ohio, 
over  the  address  assumed  for  the  occasion,  directing  him  to 
report  with  a  fresh  installment  of  plunder. 

The  ex-postal  clerk  encountered  no  trouble  whatever  in 
executing  the  part  assigned  to  him.  Harmon,  promoted  to 
a  head  clerkship  in  1871,  remembered  with  gratitude  the 
patient  teachings  of  his  former  comrade.  In  fact,  Wales  was 


304  THE    CONSPIRATORS. 

a  welcome  visitor  to  all.  About  once  a  month  he  came  to 
the  car,  finely  dressed,  sporting  diamonds  and  a  gold-headed 
cane,  and  plentifully  supplied  with  choice  brandy,  whiskey, 
and  cigars.  Reminiscences,  stories,  and  the  bottle,  all  cir- 
culated freely.  The  guest  assisted  in  the  work  with  alacrity, 
improving  favorable  opportunities  to  stuff  with  letters  pockets 
made  expressly  for  the  purpose.  According  to  the  testimony 
of  Harmon,  Wales  was  much  more  diligent  as  a  volunteer 
than  when  actually  employed  in  the  service. 

Sometimes  Wales  rode  in  the  mail-room  through  to  Buffalo, 
but  generally,  on  pretense  of  seeking  rest,  retired  to  the 
sleeping-coach.  The  forged  indorsements  were  usually  in 
the  handwriting  of  both.  The  proceeds  of  the  drafts  were 
shared  equally. 

Having  secured  one  of  the  accomplices,  special  agent  J. 
S.  Elwell,  on  the  part  of  the  post-office  department,  and  Pin- 
kerton's  agency  on  the  part  of  Adams  Express  Company,  con- 
tinued the  pursuit  of  the  other  with  unabated  vigor.  Except 
from  a  few,  the  arrest  of  Wales  was  kept  a  profound  secret 
for  fear  of  alarming  Dudley.  It  will  be  remembered  that  the 
two  saw  each  other  last  at  the  Metropolitan  Hotel,  in  New 
York  city,  immediately  after  the  extraordinary  raid  on  the 
National  Express  Company,  at  Troy.  On  paying  the  hotel 
bill,  Dudley  informed  the  clerk  that  he  was  going  to  Boston, 
and  actually  went  to  the  depot  with  his  wife  on  the  time  of 
the  Boston  train.  Confidentially,  however,  he  told  Wales  that 
he  was  going  to  Monroe,  Michigan,  a  town  between  Toledo 
and  Detroit,  and  that  he  had  already  purchased  tickets  over 
the  Great  Western.  With  a  promise  on  the  part  of  Dudley 
to  write  in  about  three  weeks,  the  friends  shook  hands  and 
parted. 

One  of  Major  Franklin's  most  skillful  agents  was  detailed 
to  follow  on  the  trail  of  the  fugitives.  Several  weeks  had 
elapsed  since  the  separation  in  New  York  city,  and  the  track 
was  comparatively  cold.  At  Monroe,  Michigan,  he  heard  of 
them,  but  they  had  departed  no  one  could  tell  whither.  A 


LOST    IN    THE    MULTITUDE.  305 

man  and  wife,  traveling  over  crowded  thoroughfares,  ordina- 
rily attract  little  attention,  and  in  a  few  hours,  or  at  most  in  a 
few  days,  all  traces  of  them  are  obliterated.  Fellow-passen- 
gers disperse  in  different  directions  to  the  ends  of  the  earth.. 
In  the  swelling  tide  of  life,  railway  conductors  do  not  re- 
member individual  faces.  While  hotel  registers  preserve  the- 
chirography  of  guests,  a  journey  across  the  breadth  of  the 
continent  may  be  accomplished  continuously,  so  that  a  search; 
through  all  the  hostelries  from  Boston  to  San  Francisco  might 
prove  labor  lost,  though  the  parties  pursued  had  just  traversed 
the  entire  distance.  One  may  hide  most  effectually  ik  the 
multitude. 

The  detective  learned  that  Dudley  and  wife  travelfetF  with  a 
canary-bird  and  wooden  bandbox.  By  adroit  and;  guarded 
inquiries  he  tracked  them  to  Kalamazoo,  to  Jackson  and  De- 
troit, holding  the  hidden  thread  firmly  in  hand.  At  every 
stage  of  the  pursuit  unavoidable  delays  occurred,  so  that  the 
fugitives,  though  little  dreaming  that  keen-scented  danger 
dogged  their  heels,  easily  kept  several  weeks  ahead.  At 
Detroit,  the  detective  crossed  the  St.  Clair  River,  and,  by 
means  of  the  canary-bird  and  wooden  bandbox,  followed  the 
clue  to  the  Grand  Trunk  depot,  and  thence  to  Montreal,  con- 
ductors, hackmen,  and  station  agents  at  different  points  fur- 
nishing the  requisite  information. 

At  Montreal,  the  thread  which  had  led  the  way  prosper- 
ously through  wide  wanderings  suddenly  snapped  asunder, 
and  the  end  could  not  be  recovered  again,  the  canary-bird 
and  wooden  bandbox  disappearing  from  the  horizon  of  the 
operative.  No  one  could  give  any  account  of  the  exit  of  the 
oddly  freighted  couple. 

Toward  the  close  of  April,  the  officers  engaged  on  the  case 
became  satisfied  that  Dudley  was  hiding  in  Boston,  or  one  of 
the  adjacent  villages.  A  suspicious  character  stopping  tem- 
porarily at  Salem  was  placed  under  close  surveillance,  on  the 
supposition  that  he  was  the  man.  The  identification  was  the 
more  difficult  as  very  few  people  knew  the  forger  by  sight. 
20 


306  THE    CONSPIRATORS. 

To  meet  this  trouble,  special  agent  Elwell  solicited  the  aid  of 
Mr.  I.  F.  Loomis,  general  agent  of  the  Charter  Oak  Life 
Insurance  Company,  at  Pittsburgh,  Pennsylvania,  who  coun- 
tersigned a  policy  for  Dudley  in  1869,  and  kept  up  a  partial 
acquaintance  with  him  afterwards.  Mr.  Loomis,  believing 
that  the  public  interest  required  the  sacrifice  of  individual 
preferences,  reluctantly  consented  to  assist,  and  started  east- 
ward April  26th,  expecting  at  the  time  to  be  detained  from 
home  but  a  few  days.  He  went  to  Salem,  and,  after  taking 
a  good  look  at  the  supposed  forger,  was  compelled  to  inform 
the  detectives  that  they  were  watching  the  wrong  man. 
Although  gravely  disappointed,  they  still  held  to  the  belief 
that  he  was  lurking  somewhere  not  far  away,  and  that  time 
and  perseverance  would  discover  the  haunt. 

For  many  days  the  officers,  accompanied  by  Mr.  Loomis, 
explored  the  labyrinthine  streets  of  Boston,  and  canvassed 
the  beautiful  suburban  villages  encircling  the  city.  Theatres, 
concert  saloons,  beer  gardens,  and  other  places  of  resort, 
were  "wearied  with  inquest  of  beseeching  looks,'5  in  the  vain 
hope  of  ending  by  a  lucky  hit  the  prolonged  and  provoking 
chase.  If  the  man  of  many  aliases  appeared  abroad,  they 
were  not  fortunate  enough  to  encounter  him ;  nor  could  they 
find  the  slightest  clue  to  his  retreat. 

It  was  obvious,  too,  that,  though  unaware  of  his  captivity, 
Dudley  had  resolved  to  hold  no  further  communication  with 
Wales,  fearing  danger  from  his  recklessness  and  garrulity. 
At  all  events,  correspondence  by  mail  ceased  entirely.  Had 
no  trouble  arisen,  he  might  perhaps,  after  a  while,  have  re- 
newed the  intimacy ;  but,  for  the  present  at  least,  he  was 
evidently  taking  counsel  of  his  fears. 

Meanwhile  the  exhaustless  ingenuity  of  Major  Pinkerton, 
and  of  his  able  corps  of  superintendents,  devised  scheme 
after  scheme  for  the  discovery  of  the  perplexing  secret.  The 
family  of  Mrs.  Dudley  resided  at  Allegheny  City,  a  sister 
being  employed  as  clerk  in  a  store  at  Pittsburgh.  A  female 
detective,  of  talents  and  address,  was  detailed  by  Major  Pin- 


A  FEMALE    DETECTIVE   AT   WORK. 


307 


kerton  to  cultivate  the  acquaintance  of  this  young  lady. 
Appearing  on  the  scene  of  action,  she  visited  the  store,  and 
made  numerous  purchases,  always  dealing  with  Miss  Ad- 
elaide, and  paying  great  deference  to  her  judgment.  The 
acquaintance  begun  across  the  counter  soon  ripened  into  inti- 
macy, the  gentle  stranger 
experiencing  no  other  pleas- 
ure  comparable  to  that  de- 
rived from  the  society  of  her 
new  friend.  They  rode  to- 


gether,  and  spent  whole 
evenings  in  delightful  con- 
versation. The  visitor 
thought  it  hard  that  a  young 
lady  of  such  agreeable  man- 
ners and  rare  accomplish- 
ments should  be  doomed  to 
drag  out  an  existence  so  well 
fitted  for  more  elevated  pur- 
suits, in  measuring  ribbons 
for  querulous  customers,  and 
had  under  consideration  various  plans  for  transferring  her 
to  a  more  congenial  sphere.  It  was  not  unnatural  that  the 


She  visited  the  store,  and  made  nu- 
merous purchases,  always  dealing 
with  Miss  Adelaide." 


308  THE    CONSPIRATORS. 

interest  manifested  for  the  welfare  of  the  young  lady  should 
expand  so  as  to  embrace  within  its  circumference  the  other 
members  of  the  family.  About  most  of  them  Miss  Ad- 
elaide conversed  freely ;  but  when  reference,  however 
guarded,  was  made  to  the  absent  sister,  she  wrapped  herself 
in  an  armor  of  impenetrable  reserve,  dropping  a  single  word 
only  that  threw  the  slightest  light  upon  the  mystery.  In  a 
moment  of  unusual  confidence  she  divulged  the  fact  that  her 
sister  was  living  somewhere  near  Boston,  but  the  most  adroit 
turns  of  conversation,  at  instants  of  the  most  self-revealing 
intimacy,  failed  to  surprise  her  into  any  additional  disclosure. 

Overmatched  by  the  "close-mouthed"  yet  unsuspecting 
girl,  the  friend  planned  a  final  piece  of  strategy.  She  gave 
out  that  she  intended  to  make  a  trip  through  New  England, 
embracing  Boston  in  the  route,  and  offered,  if  Miss  Adelaide 
would  go  as  a  companion,  to  bear  all  the  expenses  of  the 
journey.  This  device  failed  with  the  rest,  the  young  lady 
gently,  but  firmly,  declining  the  invitation.  Driven  to  her 
wits'  end,  on  the  eve  of  departure  she  sought  Miss  Adelaide 
for  the  final  adieu,  and,  taking  from  her  pocket  a  pencil  and 
memorandum-book,  requested  her  to  write  down  the  address 
of  her  sister,  as  it  would  give  her  great  pleasure  to  form  her 
acquaintance,  provided  she  remained  long  enough  in  Boston 
to  permit  her  to  call.  "I  should  be  happy  to,"  replied  Miss 
Adelaide,  "but  I  do  not  know  it  myself.  Sister  rarely  writes, 
and  is  very  uncommunicative  about  particulars."  Baffled  at 
every  point  by  a  vigilance  that  never  slept,  the  detective  gave 
up  the  job  in  despair. 

No  sooner,  however,  was  one  line  of  operations  abandoned 
than  another  was  adopted,  the  fertility  and  expedients  of 
Major  Pinkerton  and  his  aids  growing  with  the  emergency. 
Once  more  Miss  Adelaide  was  selected  as  the  instrument  to 
be  played  upon.  A  bogus  telegram  was  concocted  an- 
nouncing that  Robert  had  met  with  a  dangerous  accident,  and 
urging  the  sister  to  come  on  immediately.  Meanwhile  she 
was  to  telegraph  to  the  old  address.  The  dispatch,  signed 


THE   EFFECT    OF   A    BOGUS    TELEGRAM, 


309 


wEtt&,"  — the  familiar  abbreviation  of  Mrs.  Dudley's  name, — 
was  sent  to  Miss  Adelaide  at  her  home. 

Of  course,  the  subsequent  movements  of  the  recipient  were 
closely  watched.  She  neither  made  preparations  for  the 
journey  nor  answered  by  telegraph ;  but,  after  deliberating  a 
day  or  two,  indited  a  letter,  which  she  deposited  in  the  mail- 


"  Collaring  the  miscreant,  with  an  air  of  triumph  .  .  -" 

ing  box  at  the  post-office  in  person.  The  address  was  imme- 
diately examined,  and  found  to  be,  "Mrs.  E.  H.  Purcell, 
Boston,  Massachusetts."  The  facts  were  communicated  by 
telegraph  to  the  operatives  in  that  city.  In  due  time  the 
fateful  missive  arrived  and  was  advertised.  By  means  of  a 
string,  arranged  for  the  purpose,  the  delivery  clerk  was  to 


3IO  THE   CONSPIRATORS. 

promptly  notify  Mr.  Corson  whenever  the  letter  should  be 
called  for.  After  several  days,  passed  in  a  state  of  eager 
expectancy,  at  length,  on  the  3ist  of  May,  the  man  of  many 
aliases  sauntered  up  to  the  general  delivery  and  inquired  for 
"E.  H.  Purcell."  The  clerk,  unobserved,  gave  a  nervous 
pull  at  the  string,  and  proceeded  to  examine  the  package 
taken  from  the  proper  pigeon-hole.  In  an  instant  Mr.  Cor- 
son stood  beside  the  criminal,  whom  he  had  pursued  for  many 
months  and  across  half  the  breadth  of  the  continent,  never 
losing  courage  even  where  the  trail  grew  faintest.  Collaring 
the  miscreant,  with  an  air  of  triumph  he  led  him  up  stairs  to 
the  office  of  special  agent  Charles  Field,  remarking,  as  he 
entered,  to  Messrs.  Field  and  Elwell,  "This  is  our  man.  This 
is  Robert  L.  Dudley." 

The  gentleman  thus  abruptly  introduced  replied,  with  the 
utmost  composure  and  self-assurance,  "You  are  mistaken; 
my  name  is  not  Dudley  ;  it  is  Rathburn." 

"It  is  too  late  now  to  deny  the  truth,"  interposed  Elwell. 
"We  have  tracked  you  to  Albany,  Philadelphia,  Pittsburgh, 
Buffalo,  Rochester,  and  other  places,  and  now  we  have  driven 
you  into  your  last  hole.  It  is  needless  to  lie  further.  Do  not 
pile  up  falsehoods  on  crimes  sufficiently  numerous  already ." 

"I  assure  you,  on  the  honor  of  a  gentleman,"  replied  the 
prisoner,  unabashed,  "that  there  is  a  great  mistake  here 
somewhere.  My  name  is  not  Dudley,  and  I  have  never  been 
in  Pittsburgh  or  Buffalo.  You  have  got  the  wrong  man." 

While  the  conversation  was  in  progress,  Mr.  Loomis  came 
in,  and,  immediately  recognizing  the  familiar  features  of  his 
old  acquaintance,  saluted  him  by  name.  The  prisoner  still 
denied  his  identity,  when  Loomis,  dropping  on  the  sofa  beside 
him,  and  slapping  him  on  the  knee,  quoted  the  nib  of  a  comic 
story  which  Dudley  had  often  told  in  the  office  of  the  insur- 
ance agent  at  Pittsburgh. 

The  humor  of  the  joke  impressed  Dudley  irresistibly. 
Breaking  into  a  hearty  laugh,  he  said,  "Boys,  you  have  got 
me.  I  give  it  up.  But  I  gave  you  a  lively  chase,  didn't  I?" 


A    BROKEN    DAM.  311 

With  that  he  repeated  for  the  benefit  of  the  company  the 
story  which  had  so  provoked  his  risibles.  All  joined  in  the 
merriment,  and  for  the  nonce  one  might  have  mistaken  the 
conclave  for  a  reunion  of  old  friends,  so  jolly  was  the  crowd. 
"  Let  him  laugh  who  wins,"  is  a  text  that  could  certainly  have 
been  quoted  by  the  heroes  of  the  long  chase  in  justification 
of  their  hilarity. 

"Though  losses  and  crosses 
Be  lessons  right  severe, 
There's  wit  there  je'H  get  there, 
Ye'll  find  nae  other  where." 

Dudley  now  talked  incessantly,  as  pent-up  waters  pour  over 
a  broken  dam.  "  Whither  do  you  propose  to  take  me,"  he 
inquired,  "and  by  what  authority?" 

"We  have  a  United  States  warrant  for  your  arrest,"  an- 
swered Mr.  Elwell,  "issued  from  the  western  district  of 
Pennsylvania.  You  will  be  taken  to  Pittsburgh." 

Turning  to  Mr.  Loomis,  he  continued:  "Tell  me  all  about 
Pittsburgh.  Did  the  Adams  Express  Company  lose  the 
money,  or  Mr.  Snively,  the  agent?"  As  the  conversation 
progressed,  he  acknowledged  that  he  was  Randall  in  New- 
ark, Cone  in  Philadelphia,  and  Bogart  in  Buffalo.  "By  the 
way,"  continued  he,  "I  talked  in  a  Methodist  Sunday-school 
in  Buffalo,  and  didn't  get  out  of  there  a  day  too  soon.  It  was 
growing  hot  about  the  time  I  showed  that  village  a  clean  pair 
of  heels." 

Dudley  begged  to  be  allowed  to  see  his  wife  before  start- 
ing on  the  journey,  which  promised  to  be  a  long  and 
momentous  one,  and  informed  the  officers  that  she  was  at 
Mattapan,  seven  or  eight  miles  distant.  The  request  was 
granted,  Messrs.  Elwell,  Loomis,  and  Corson  accompanying 
the  prisoner  in  a  carriage. 

The  house  proved  to  be  a  nice  little  cottage  on  a  by-street, 
elegantly  furnished  throughout.  It  nestled  innocently  among 
the  rocks,  as  if  crimes  and  criminals  were  unknown  to  its 


3I2 


THE    CONSPIRATORS, 


inclosures.    When  the  party  drove  up  to  the  door,  Dudley,  not 
being  permitted  to  alight,  called  his  wife  to  the  carriage  and 

opened  the  interview  with  the  remark, 
"  Etta,  they  have  got  me.  The  letter- 
writing  did  it.  I  told  you  so.  Do  not  cry. 
Be  a  brave  little  woman.  I  must  go  to 
Pittsburgh.  Please  pack  my  satchel  for 
me.  You  know  what  I  shall  need." 

The  wife  inquired  if  she  could  not 
be  allowed  to  accompany  her  hus- 
band, and  then  both  joined  in  the  re- 
quest. Mr.  Elwell  made  no  objection 
to  the  proposed  arrangement. 

In  the  course  of  the  interview,  Mrs. 
Dudley  was  in- 
formed that  the 
money  and  bonds 
concealed  on  her 
person  must  be 
given  up, or  search 
would  be  made  for 
them.  At  first  she 
denied  possession 
of  the  securities. 
Dudley,  however, 
conceived  some 
obscure  plan  for 
retaining  the  prop- 
erty by  transfer  to 
a  friend,  and  said 
to  Mr.  Elwell  that 
he  wished  to-speak 
to  Mr.  Loomis  privately.  That  gentleman,  who  was  then 
walking  about  outside,  was  invited  to  take  a  seat  in  the 
carriage  beside  the  prisoner,  when  the  latter  requested  him 
to  take  charge  of  the  papers,  bonds,  money,  &c.,  for  the 


The  country  Home  of  Dudley. 


DISGORGING.  313 

benefit  of  his  wife,  remarking  to  Mr.  Elwell,  by  way  of 
explanation,  "  I  have  known  Mr.  Loomis  a  long  time,  and 
know  he  is  all  right.  I  prefer  to  have  him  take  charge  of 
my  wife's  property." 

Recalling  Mrs.  Dudley  to  the  door  of  the  carriage,  he  then 
said,  "Etta,  this  is  Mr.  Loomis,  of  Pittsburgh.  I  know  him 
to  be  a  first-rate  man.  Now  I  want  you  to  give  him  the 
money  and  bonds  which  you  have  in  your  bosom,  and  all  the 
papers,  wrhich  he  will  keep  for  you." 

Without  further  hesitation,  she  turned  over  to  Mr.  Loomis 
the  property,  embracing  three  thousand  dollars  in  six  per 
cent,  bonds ;  two  thousand  dollars  in  other  bonds ;  two  fifty 
dollar  bills ;  two  five  hundred  dollar  notes ;  two  promissory 
notes  of  two  hundred;  the  deed  of  the  house  at  Mattapan,  and 
a  lot  of  receipts.  He  wrote  for  her  a  paper  enumerating  the 
various  securities  committed  to  him.  In  a  day  or  two,  how- 
ever, the  Adams  Express  Company  obtained  possession  of 
them  by  legal  process,  as  partial  indemnity  for  their  losses  by 
the  forgeries. 

Mr.  Elwell  drove  back  to  the  city  with  the  prisoner, 
leaving  Mr.  Corson  to  accompany  Mrs.  Dudley  at  her  con- 
venience. They  rode  in,  later  in  the  day,  by  rail,  and, 
according  to  previous  arrangement,  went  to  the  Sherman 
House. 

On  arriving  at  the  post-office  in  Boston,  Mr.  Elwell  met 
special  agent  Field  and  a  deputy  United  States  marshal, 
who  had  warrants  for  the  arrest  of  both  Robert  L.  Dudley 
and  Etta  Dudley,  his  wife.  The  warrant  was  duly  served 
upon  the  husband,  who  was  taken  to  jail.  It  was  decided, 
however,  not  to  arrest  the  wife,  at  least  for  the  time,  or  to 
place  her  under  duress  of  any  kind.  Mr.  Elwell  particu- 
larly requested  the  clerk  of  the  hotel  to  give  her  a  pleasant 
room  on  the  first  floor,  and  asked  the  housekeeper,  a  sister 
of  the  proprietor,  to  spare  no  attention  or  effort  to  make 
her  stay  as  agreeable  as  the  circumstances  of  the  case  would 
permit.  Mr.  Elwell  distinctly  informed  Mrs.  Dudley  that 


314  THE    CONSPIRATORS. 

she  was  not  under  arrest,  and  probably  would  not  be  —  that 
she  was  free  to  go  and  come  as  she  pleased.  Her  door  was 
never  locked  except  by  herself,  nor  was  the  room  guarded 
in  the  slightest  degree  by  any  of  the  party.  She  had  the 
freedom  of  the  house  and  of  the  town,  passing  in  and  out  at 
her  own  sweet  will. 

On  Monday,  June  2d,  the  case  of  Dudley  came  up  before 
Judge  Lowell  for  a  preliminary  hearing,  but  on  account  of 
the  funeral  of  the  United  States  district  attorney,  the  ex- 
amination was  postponed  till  the  3d.  Meanwhile  the  coun- 
sel of  Dudley  called  at  the  hotel  and  took  away  Mrs.  Dudley 
with  all  her  effects,  forgetting  nothing  but  the  payment  of 
her  bill.  On  the  3d  the  judge  ordered  that  the  United  States 
marshal  for  Massachusetts  should  convey  the  prisoner  to  the 
marshal  for  the  western  district  of  Pennsylvania. 

As  Mr.  El  well  was  leaving  the  court-room,  a  deputy 
sheriff  of  Suffolk  County  called  him  by  name,  and  said  he 
had  a  warrant  for  his  arrest.  "Very  well,"  replied  the 
agent,  "  let  me  see  the  paper ; "  whereupon  that  functionary 
exhibited  one  of  the  most  extraordinary  documents  ever  con- 
trived under  the  guise  of  law  to  forward  the  ends  of  villany. 
In  the  name  of  the  commonwealth  of  Massachusetts  the 
sheriff  is  commanded  "to  attach  the  goods  or  estate  of  J.  S. 
Elwell,  J.  W.  Corson,  otherwise  called  Thomas,  Israel  F. 

Loomis,  Wilkinson,  Bangs,  to  the  value  of  ten 

thousand  dollars,  and  for  want  thereof  to  take  the  bodies 
of  the  said  defendants,"  to  answer  on  the  first  Tuesday 
of  July,  in  the  city  of  Boston,  to  Robert  L.  Dudley,  and 
Stevetta  H.,  his  wife,  in  an  action  of  tort.  The  wrongs  of 
the  unhappy  client  are  thus  set  forth  :  — 

''And  the  plaintiffs  say  the  defendants  on  the  thirty-first 
day  of  May  last  with  force  and  arms  assaulted  the  female 
plaintiff  at  said  Boston,  and  with  force  and  violence  laid  hold 
of  the  said  female  plaintiff,  and  then  and  there  pulled  about 
the  said  female  plaintiff,  and  otherwise  greatly  hurt  and 
injured  her,  and  put  her  in  great  bodily  fear,  so  that  she 


AN  EXTRAORDINARY  DOCUMENT.  315 

became  and  was  sick  and  disordered,  and  has  since  so  con- 
tinued, all  to  the  manifest  wrong  and  injury  of  the  plaintiffs 
in  the  premises,  and  to  their  great  damage,  to  wit,  in  the  sum 
of  ten  thousand  dollars. 

"And  the  plaintiffs  further  say  that  the  said  defendants 
.  .  .  compelled  the  said  female  plaintiff  to  go  from  and  out 
of  a  certain  dwelling-house,  situated  and  being  in  said 
Boston,  into  the  public  streets  there,  and  then  and  there 
forced  and  compelled  her  to  go  in  and  along  divers  public 
streets  to  a  certain  hotel  in  said  Boston,  called  the  Sherman 
House,  and  then  and  there  imprisoned  the  said  female  plain- 
tiff, and  kept  and  detained  her  imprisoned  there,  without  any 
authority  whatsoever,  for  a  long  space  of  time,  to  wit,  until 
the  afternoon  of  June  2d,  inst.,  contrary  to  the  laws  of  this 
commonwealth,  and  against  the  will  of  the  said  plaintiffs,  or 
either  of  them,  whereby  the  said  female  plaintiff  was  not 
only  greatly  hurt  and  injured  in  body,  but  was  also  thereby, 
as  was  also  the  other  plaintiff,  greatly  injured  and  exposed 
in  her  reputation  and  circumstances,  to  great  damage  and  loss 
as  aforesaid." 

The  accompanying  oath  was  made  June  3d,  by  Stevetta  H. 
Dudley. 

Proceeding  to  the  office  of  the  sheriff,  Mr.  El  well  was 
informed  that  he  would  be  required  to  give  bonds  in  the  sum 
of  ten  thousand  dollars,  with  two  sureties,  each  to  qualify  in 
the  full  amount.  Special  agent  Field  and  postmaster  Burt 
volunteered  to  sign  the  bond,  after  urging  in  vain  that  Mr. 
El  well,  as  an  officer  of  the  government  engaged  in  the  per- 
formance of  his  duties,  and  as  in  all  respects  an  honorable 
gentleman,  should  be  released  on  his  personal  assurance  to 
return  and  answer  in  the  suit  that  had  been  brought  against 
him.  The  lawyer  of  the  Dudleys,  however,  chagrined  at 
his  failure  to  secure  the  release  of  his  client,  or  even  a 
reduction  of  his  bail,  having  perpetrated  the  marvelous 
romance  recited  above  and  secured  the  arrest  of  the  special 
agent,  determined  to  push  the  policy  of  harshness  uncom- 


3*6  THE    CONSPIRATORS. 

promisingly  to  the  end.  The  proper  officer,  however,  ac- 
cepted the  bond  as  offered,  notwithstanding  additional  objec- 
tions from  the  attorney.  After  remaining  in  "  durance  vile  " 
about  four  hours,  Mr.  El  well  was  released. 

If  further  annoyances  were  intended,  they  were  probably 
checked  by  the  determined  attitude  of  the  post-office  depart- 
ment, as  indicated  by  the  following  telegram  :  — 

"WASHINGTON,  D.  C.,  June  4,  1873. 

"POSTMASTER  BURT,  BOSTON:  Stand  by  Elwell  in  the 
Dudley  case.  Advise  me  what  is  necessary,  and  I  will  see  the 
attorney  general  in  regard  to  it  immediately. 

(Signed)  "J.  A.  J.  CRESWELL, 

"  Postmaster  General." 

The  statement  sworn  to  by  Mrs.  Dudley  was  a  fiction  from 
beginning  to  end.  Mr.  Elwell  never  arrested  her,  or  made 
any  representations  intended  to  convey  that  impression.  He 
never  detained  her  for  a  moment,  or  attempted  in  the 
slightest  degree  to  restrain  her  actions.  In  regard  to  the 
bodily  hurts,  estimated  at  ten  thousand  dollars  in  the  cur- 
rency of  the  realm,  he  never  touched  her  person  except  to 
render  her  aid,  as  in  assisting  her  to  or  from  the  carriage. 
She  not  only  came  voluntarily  to  the  city,  but  solicited  the 
privilege  of  doing  so. 

Special  agents  in  the  performance  of  unpleasant  duties  be- 
fore the  courts,  expect  to  encounter  at  the  hands  of  shyster- 
ing  lawyers  who  disport  on  the  outer  fringes  of  the  profession, 
a  great  deal  of  insolence,  and  bullying,  and  blackguardism. 
By  a  force  as  resistless  as  gravitation,  thieves  instinctively 
resort  to  that  class  for  counsel  and  support.  Even  the  worst 
of  criminals  have  a  right  to  be  tried  under  the  forms  of  law 
and  according  to  the  rules  of  evidence ;  but  this  does  not 
carry  the  counter  right  to  assail,  with  false  and  villanous 
charges,  faithful  officers  engaged  laboriously  and  devotedly 
in  protecting  the  dearest  interests  of  society.  Robbers  and 


THE    TRIAL.  317 

cutthroats,  swindlers  and  forgers,  will  always  find  tools  to  do 
their  bidding,  but,  fortunately,  it  is  not  often  that  they  succeed 
in  retaliating  with  imprisonment  upon  the  vigilance  which  has 
wrought  their  capture. 

The  opportunity  for  the  perpetration  of  the  outrage  was 
made  possible  by  the  death,  a  few  days  before,  of  the  United 
States  district  attorney,  the  office  having  been  left  in  charge 
of  a  mere  lad  who  lacked  the  experience  to  cope  with  older 
and  more  wily  antagonists. 

On  the  evening  of  June  5th,  the  marshal  started  for  Pitts- 
burgh with  the  prisoner,  Mrs.  Dudley  accompanying  the  party 
by  permission.  On  the  7th  he  was  turned  over  to  the  marshal 
for  the  western  district  of  Pennsylvania,  and  immediately 
committed.  Wales  arrived  from  Philadelphia  the  next  day, 
and  shared  the  same  treatment. 

On  the  arrival  of  Dudley  in  Pittsburgh,  great  curiosity  was 
manifested  to  see  and  to  converse  with  him.  He  had  been  a 
former  resident  of  the  city.  It  was  here,  or  in  the  immediate 
vicinity,  that  he  married  ;  and  here  also  that  he  cheated  the 
express  company,  and  consummated  one  of  the  most  daring  in 
the  series  of  forgeries.  Could  all  the  facts  be  known,  per- 
haps it  would  be  seen  that  some  in  the  motley  crowd  who 
gathered  to  gaze  upon  the  prisoner  had  a  more  intimate  ac- 
quaintance with  his  earlier  feats  of  swindling  than  they  would 
care  to  admit  in  so  public  a  place.  The  companions  of  three 
or  four  years  before  hardly  foresaw  that  the  habit  of  living  by 
sharp  practices  would  end  by  living  in  a  prison. 

During  the  day  Dudley  appeared  as  gay  and  jocund  as  if 
he  had  returned  on  a  tour  of  pleasure  to  renew  old  acquaint- 
ances and  make  new  ones.  At  the  hotel  and  in  the  court- 
room he  wore  an  air  of  self-assurance  and  unconcern  more 
befitting  a  casual  spectator  than  the  central  figure  of  the  show. 
Cool,  cunning,  and  audacious,  he  played  boldly  for  heavy 
stakes,  and,  having  lost  the  game,  accepted  the  penalty  as  a 
matter  of  course. 

On  the  ist  of  July  eleven  true  bills  were  found  against  the 


318  THE    CONSPIRATORS. 

prisoners  by  the  United  States  grand  jury  sitting  at  Williams- 
port  ;  namely,  one  against  Wales  and  Dudley  jointly,  for  con- 
spiracy ;  four  against  Wales  for  stealing  letters  and  drafts 
from  the  mail ;  three  against  Dudley  as  accessory  after  the 
fact ;  and  three  against  Dudley  for  receiving  drafts  stolen  from 
the  mail ;  also  one  against  Mrs.  Stevetta  H.  Dudley  as  acces- 
sory after  the  fact. 

Mr.  Elwell  having  been  prostrated  by  dangerous  and  pro- 
longed illness  soon  after  the  capture  of  Dudley,  special  agent 
U.  R.  Hawley,  of  Chicago,  who  was  familiar  with  the  facts,  and 
had  rendered  valuable  aid  in  hunting  down  the  criminals,  col- 
lected the  evidence  and  the  witnesses  for  the  trial,  which  took 
place  at  Pittsburgh  in  November. 

Both  prisoners  were  first  tried  on  a  joint  indictment  for  con- 
spiracy to  rob  the  United  States  mails,  this  being  the  test  case 
upon  which  all  the  evidence  was  adduced.  The  late  Hon. 
H.  B.  Swope,  United  States  district  attorney,  conducted  the 
prosecution.  On  the  third  day  the  jury  returned  a  verdict  of 
guilty,  the  penalty  for  the  offense  being  imprisonment  for  two 
years. 

Wales  was  then  convicted  of  stealing  the  Washburn  draft, 
and  Dudley  as  accessory  after  the  fact.  The  penalty  in  each 
case  was  imprisonment  for  five  years.  Believing  that  the 
other  cases  ought  to  be  tried  in  the  districts  where  the  several 
drafts  were  negotiated,  the  district  attorney  did  not  wish  to 
urge  a  conviction  upon  the  remaining  indictments,  but  pro- 
posed to  have  the  prisoners  removed  for  further  trials  to  dis- 
tricts where  convictions  would  be  legal.  They,  however, 
waiving  the  question  of  jurisdiction,  pleaded  guilty  to  a  third 
indictment,  and  were  sentenced  to  an  aggregate  imprisonment 
of  seven  years  each.  The  case  against  Mrs.  Dudley  was 
dropped. 


(HE  fall  of  John  Middleton 
from  the  sunny  heights  of 
renown  was  broken  by  a 
brief  lodgment  on  an  ob- 
scure peg  in  the  postal 
service.  Though  still  a 
young  man,  he  had  enjoyed 
a  varied  experience,  and, 
like  many  others  travel- 
ing the  downward  road 
from  better  days,  affected 
to  hold  in  supreme  con- 
tempt the  humble  position 
which  now  supplied  him 
with  bread.  Sharp,  reti- 
cent, unprincipled,  and  an 
adept  in  trickery  and  chi- 
canery, he  found  in  .  the 
lower  strata  of  frontier  pol- 
itics a  field  well  suited  to 
«i  want  to  get  out  i"  the  exercise  of  his  gifts, 

and  early  began  to  look  forward  to  high  preferment  as 
within  easy  reach  of  talents  like  his.  But,  as  often  happens 
where  advancement  is  sought  at  the  expense  of  virtue,  dissi- 
pation with  its  concomitant  vices  grew  so  much  more  rapidly 
than  honors,  that  he  was  unhorsed  by  bad  habits  near  the  out- 
set of  the  race. 


32O  A   TRICKSTER    TRICKED. 

Before  reaching  thirty,  Middleton  had  managed  a  number 
of  jobs  in  the  legislative  lobby ;  had  made  several  visits  to 
Washington  to  represent  the  interests  of  sundry  bands  of 
philanthropists  whose  hearts  burned  to  supervise  the  distribu- 
tion among  the  Indians  of  the  bounties  of  a  paternal  govern- 
ment ;  had  made  the  acquaintance  of  half  the  magnates  at  the 
national  capital,  and  had  learned  the  failings  and  foibles  of 
the  weaker  vessels  who  are  disposed  to  regard  the  public 
treasury  as  a  happy  contrivance  for  the  relief  of  impecunious 
patriots.  For  four  years  he  was  chief  deputy  United  States 
marshal  for  one  of  the  western  states,  and  afterwards  filled  a 
similar  position  in  one  of  the  territories,  having  virtual  control 
of  the  office,  as  his  principal  was  a  sot  who  paid  no  attention 
to  the  business.  At  odd  intervals  he  also  attended  to  the 
"still  work"  around  two  or  three  Indian  agencies. 

The  drunken  marshal  at  length  died,  and  was  succeeded  by 
a  sober  man  who  turned  Middleton  adrift.  Now  Middleton, 
in  the  days  of  his  splendor,  had  wonderful  facility  for  making 
money,  but  his  habits  were  very  expensive ;  so  that  when  the 
tide  turned,  his  pockets  were  empty.  Governor  Halford,  upon 
whom  he  had  some  mysterious  claim,  then  took  him  in  as 
private  secretary,  —  a  position  he  was  well  qualified  to  fill,  as 
he  had  talents,  experience,  and  literary  capacity, — but  his 
bad  habits  had  now  become  so  inveterate  that  the  governor 
was  constrained  to  look  about  for  means  of  getting  rid  of  him. 
Accordingly  the  wires  clicked  and  clicked  back  again,  and 
the  deed  was  done,  Middleton  receiving  an  appointment  as 
mail  messenger  on  the  road  from  Wilna  to  Tilsit,  a  distance 
of  sixty  miles.  Like  many  other  frauds  foisted  as  pensioners 
on  the  revenues  of  the  department,  he  was  to  have  no  keys, 
but  was  to  ride  in  the  little  room  set  apart  for  the  storage  of 
two  or  three  pouches,  tell  stories,  drink  whiskey,  and  settle 
the  affairs  of  the  nation,  in  conjunction  with  other  traveling 
politicians  as  worthy  of  confidence  as  himself.  The  osten- 
sible business  of  the  messenger  was  "to  guard"  the  mails, 
and  that  was  all,  the  office  being  of  course  entirely  unneces- 


RIDING   A   HIGH    HORSE.  321 

sary  except  as  a  means  of  livelihood  for  a  vagabond  who  had 
fallen  so  low  that  he  could  no  longer  earn  his  subsistence  in 
the  legitimate  pursuits  of  business. 

Special  agent  Furay  happening  to  travel  that  way,  and  feel- 
ing outraged  at  the  imposition  practiced  on  the  government, 
informed  the  messenger  that  the  mails  must  be  distributed,  or 
the  place  would  be  discontinued  ;  but  Middleton  laughed  him 
to  scorn,  relying  with  absolute  confidence  upon  the  impregna- 
bility of  his  fortifications.  However,  the  keys  were  sent  for 
and  came ;  but  the  messenger  thrust  them  into  his  pocket,  and 
said  nothing,  having  resolved  not  to  soil  his  dignity  by 
"throwing"  letters  for  Furay  or  any  other  man. 

As  a  sworn  employ^  of  the  department,  Middleton  had  free 
access  to  the  terminal  offices,  neither  postmaster  knowing  that 
he  was  provided  with  a  key.  Both  were  money-order  offices, 
and  it  was  the  custom  of  Wilna  to  remit  all  surplus  funds 
every  Monday  by  registered  letter,  directed  to  the  postmaster 
at  Tilsit.  The  train  started  from  the  latter  place  in  the  morn- 
ing, and,  remaining  about  an  hour  at  Wilna,  returned  in  the 
afternoon. 

While  lounging  around,  Middleton  had  often  seen  the  post- 
master at  Wilna  inclose  large  sums  in  such  letters.  The  pack- 
ages were  uniformly  placed  in  the  through  pouch,  which  it  was 
his  special  business  to  guard  on  the  road.  Having  become 
familiar  with  the  routine,  and  duly  reflected  on  the  rules  of 
evidence,  the  fellow  concluded  that  here  was  a  rich  placer  on 
which  he  could  raid  with  impunity.  He  saw  no  way  in  which 
the  robbery  could  be  legally  proved,  and  for  mere  suspicion 
he  cared  not  a  straw. 

The  plan  rapidly  took  shape,  and  it  was  not  long  before  the 
experiment  was  tried.  Within  three  weeks  after  the  receipt 
of  the  key,  the  only  package  which  left  one  Monday  morning 
was  stolen.  To  avert  suspicion,  the  messenger  kept  away 
from  the  office  on  the  occasion,  coming  up  only  with  the  mail 
wagon  just  before  the  departure  of  the  return  train.  "  Under 
the  circumstances,  how  was  he  to  know,"  he  triumphantly 
21 


322  A   TRICKSTER   TRICKED. 

inquired,  "what  was  in  the  pouch?"  On  this  particular  Mon- 
day the  postmaster  was  too  busy  to  go  out  and  hunt  up  large 
bills,  and  hence  deferred  the  remittance  of  the  surplus  money- 
order  funds.  It  so  happened  that  there  was  but  one  regis- 
tered package  in  the  pouch.  This  was  directed  to  the  post- 
master at  Tilsit,  and  would  naturally  be  mistaken  for  one  of 
the  rich  douceurs  which  had  excited  the  cupidity  of  the  dishon- 
est messenger.  The  letter,  however,  was  mailed  by  a  citizen, 
and  contained  but  ten  dollars.  It  was  stolen  on  the  road. 

The  next  day  the  postmaster  at  Wilna  did  remit  his  surplus, 
amounting  to  five  hundred  and  fifty  dollars,  in  a  five  hundred 
dollar  treasury  note,  and  five  ten-dollar  bills,  all  new,  of  the 
Scandinavian  National  Bank  of  Chicago,  which  had  recently 
been  established,  and  was  then  putting  its  fresh  currency  in 
circulation.  Each  note  was  fully  described  on  the  circular 
provided  for  the  purpose,  the  original  being  transmitted  with 
the  money,  and  a  duplicate  retained  at  the  office  of  mailing. 
The  package,  however,  shared  the  fate  of  its  more  humble 
predecessor  of  the  previous  day.  Great  was  the  consterna- 
tion when  it  was  learned  that  two  registered  letters  had  been 
stolen  on  two  consecutive  days.  The  postmasters  at  Wilna 
and  Tilsit,  the  marshal  of  the  territory,  and  Middleton,  wrote 
to  special  agent  Furay,  and  they  all  also  wrote  or  tele- 
graphed to  the  department,  which  in  turn  forwarded  the  com- 
munications to  the  same  officer.  He  was  then  absent  from 
home,  working  up  a  case  at  a  long  distance  from  his  base  of 
supplies,  and  of  course  knew  nothing  of  this  fearful  clamor 
for  his  presence  and  aid.  On  returning,  ten  days  later,  his 
wife  ran  to  the  cars  to  meet  him,  and  thrusting  a  package  of 
papers  into  his  hands,  ejaculated,  excitedly,  "O,  John!  — 
big  robbery  !  —  Tilsit !  —  quick  !  " 

The  train  was  moving  away,  but,  seizing  the  bundle,  he 
hurried  after  it,  and  succeeded  in  getting  aboard,  after  a  des- 
perate race,  reaching  Tilsit  at  midnight. 

The  next  morning  he  began  the  investigation  in  earnest, 
going  over  the  ground  prudently,  coolly,  and  carefully,  seeing 


SUSPICIOUS    SOLICITUDE. 


323 


the  parties  interested,  and  listening  critically  to  their  stories. 
The  farther  he  penetrated  into  the  case  the  more  thorough 
became  his  conviction  that  Middleton  was  the  thief;  yet  there 
was  no  crucial  fact  that  fastened  the  guilt  upon  him  absolute- 
ly. Possibly  the  package  was  never  placed  in  the  pouch. 
Possibly  it  went  through  safely  and  was  appropriated  at  Tilsit. 
Enough  of  doubt  hung  over  its  fate  at  each  end  of  the  route  to 


"  O,  John !  -  big  robbery  I  —  Tilsit !      quick  1 » 

save  the  messenger  from  criminal  prosecution.  The  opinion 
of  a  skilled  detective  is  often  unerringly  correct,  though  based 
on  shreds  of  evidence  that  fall  far  short  of  legal  proof.  In 
this  instance  the  thief,  from  long  familiarity  with  the  rules  of 
law,  believed  there  was  no  possible  way  in  which  the  hand  of 
justice  could  reach  him.  Yet  for  a  man  of  the  world,  who 
had  navigated  safely  through  many  perils,  he  now  exhibited 
unaccountable  solicitude  to  have  "  the  thing  hunted  up,"  as 
otherwise  he  must  be  left  to  share  suspicion  with  others. 


324  A    TRICKSTER    TRICKED. 

The  obvious  point  in  the  investigation  was  to  learn  if  the 
robber  had  spent  any  of  the  stolen  bills,  and  if  so,  to  find  out 
whether  they  could  in  any  way  be  traced  back  to  him.  A 
quiet  search  was  instituted  in  the  towns  at  each  end  of  the 
road,  but  without  success.  The  detective  then  visited  Hart- 
well,  a  village  thirty  miles  beyond  Wilna,  where  the  wife  of 
the  messenger  resided,  and  after  examining  all  the  cash  in  the 
stores,  failed  to  discover  either  of  the  missing  notes.  Mean- 
while the  arrival  of  the  officer  in  the  territory  had  become 
generally  known,  and  as  he  had  recently  effected  several 
extraordinary  arrests,  public  expectation  was  excited  to  the 
point  where  it  demanded  the  most  unreasonable  results.  At 
ordinary  times  this  extravagant  confidence  might  have  flat- 
tered his  vanity,  but  now  it  served  only  to  augment  the  annoy- 
ances of  the  situation,  as  professional  pride  dislikes  to  admit 
that  its  accomplishments  must,  in  all  likelihood,  fall  far  short 
of  the  popular  requirement.  For  five  days  he  worked  and 
studied  uninterruptedly,  and  as  a  reward  for  all  this  toil  of 
body  and  mind,  had  not  yet  discovered  the  first  clue  to  con- 
nect Middleton  with  the  crime,  though  still  entertaining  not 
the  slightest  doubt  of  his  guilt. 

Under  the  most  dexterous  handling,  the  chances  of  bluffing 
a  confession  out  of  the  ex-deputy  marshal  seemed  exceeding- 
ly slim,  as  he  knew  all  the  tricks  of  the  trade,  having  often 
practiced  them  himself.  He  had  obviously  studied  the  case, 
too,  in  all  its  bearings,  and  was  prepared  to  meet  attacks  at 
all  points. 

The  genius  of  the  detective,  however,  rose  to  the  level  of 
the  emergency.  Middleton,  as  he  knew,  was  always  "hard 
up,"  and  constitutionally  unable  to  hold  on  to  money.  Hence 
it  was  safe  to  infer  that  he  had  spent  a  part  if  not  the  whole 
of  the  proceeds  of  the  robbery.  Guided  by  such  reasoning, 
he  hit  upon  a  device  which  crushed  the  inveterate  trickster, 
and  laid  the  truth  bare. 

Going  to  the  bank,  he  procured  two  perfectly  new  ten- 
dollar  bills  of  the  "Scandinavian  Bank  of  Chicago."  Pro- 


MAKING    COPIES. 


325 


ceeding  thence  to  his  private  room  at  the  hotel,  he  drew 
forth  the  duplicate  circular,  describing  the  lost  notes,  and 
made,  on  an  ordinary  sheet  of  paper,  what  purported  to  be  a 
correct  copy  of  it,  and  which  was  a  correct  copy,  except  that 
in  the  place  of  the  second  and  fifth  of  the  ten-dollar  bills 
actually  stolen,  he  substituted  a  description  of  the  two  which 
had  just  come  into  his  hands.  He  knew  that  Middleton  had 
seen  the  retained  list  several  times  at  the  post-office,  but  did 
not  think  he  had  copied  it,  or  that  he  would  be  able  to  iden- 


Please  copy  this  list  in  your  own  hand,  on  one  of  the  regular  blanks. 


tify  either  of  the  notes,  except,  perhaps,  the  one  for  five 
hundred  dollars,  if  confronted  with  them.  On  arriving  at 
Wilna,  the  detective  took  the  sheet  away,  and  now  intended 
to  keep  it  out  of  sight. 

Having  fixed  up  the  paper  to  suit  his  purposes,  he  saun- 
tered carelessly  over  to  the  office,  and  taking  the  postmaster 
aside,  said  confidentially,  "Here  is  a  rough  copy  in  my  writ- 


326  A   TRICKSTER    TRICKED. 

ing  of  the  duplicate  description  of  the  stolen  money  which 
you  gave  me  several  days  ago.  That  sheet  I  haven't  with 
me,  and  I  may  need  it  soon.  Please  copy  this  list  in  your 
own  hand  on  one  of  the  regular  blanks." 

The  postmaster  sat  down  at  once  and  complied  with  the 
request.  He  had  not  charged  his  memory  with  the  numbers 
of  the  bills,  recollecting  only  that  the  tens  were  all  new,  and 
on  the  Scandinavian  Bank  of  Chicago.  If  shown,  the  next 
day,  the  two  lists  made  out  by  himself,  he  could  not  have 
told  which  was  the  genuine  one.  For  prudential  reasons  the 
detective  did  not  let  him  into  the  secret,  and  if  this  page 
should  ever  pass  under  his  eye,  it  will  inform  him  for  the  first 
time  of  the  part  he  once  inadvertently  played  in  bringing  a 
hardened  criminal  to  justice.  * 

Meantime  Middleton  manifested  extreme  anxiety  to  keep 
informed  of  the  movements  of  Furay ;  and  that  officer,  with 
the  view  of  inspiring  him  with  a  vague  and  misty  but  terri- 
ble dread  of  danger  from  some  mysterious  quarter,  instructed 
two  or  three  trusty  men,  whom  the  fellow  was  certain  to  ques- 
tion, to  report  him  as  almost  simultaneously  present  at  widely 
distant  places.  Though  seeing  no  possible  way  in  which  he 
could  be  caught,  the  culprit  was  fast  losing  his  customary 
mental  equilibrium  through  the  distraction  produced  by  the 
extraordinary  and  inexplicable  flights  of  the  detective,  whose 
celerity  seemed  to  surpass  the  swiftness  of  the  eagle.  A  guilty 
conscience,  under  the  play  of  its  own  fears,  often  reaches  a 
state  of  apprehension  where  it  looks  for  lightning  from  a 
clear  sky. 

Armed  with  the  altered  description,  the  officer  proceeded  to 
Ceylon,  an  important  station  on  the  line  of  the  road,  and  tel- 
egraphed the  postmaster  at  Tilsit  to  send  up  a  clerk,  who  was 
to  get  off  at  that  place  and  ask  no  questions. 

The  next  morning,  as  the  train  passed  Ceylon  on  the  way 
west,  Middleton  inquired  anxiously  where  Furay  was,  and 
was  told  by  the  local  agent,  whose  information  was  furnished 
for  the  occasion,  that  he  left  the  night  before  on  horseback. 


A   FURIOUS    RIDE. 


327 


The  clerk  arrived  in  response  to  the  tele- 
gram, and  was  duly  posted  in  the  part  he  was 
to  enact  in  the  approaching  drama.  During 
the  morning  the  detective  had  studiously 
kept  out  of  sight,  that  his  little  game  might 
not  by  any  mischance  be  exposed  and  frus- 
trated. 

In  three  or  four  hours  the  train  would  re- 
turn   from  Wilna,   and    on    its   arrival   the 
special   agent  was    prepared  to    apply   the 
"grand    bounce"   to    Mr.  John  Middleton. 
To  enhance  the  effectiveness  of  the 
onslaught,  he  mounted  a  fleet  horse, 
and  riding  out  of  the  village  to  a 
commanding  point,  where  the  cars 
could  be  seen  at  a  distance  of  sev- 
eral miles,  he  waited  till  just  about 
time  enough  remained  for   a  close 
connection,  when  he  started  back  on 
a  furious  gallop,  reaching  the  depot  a 
few  seconds  after  the  train.    Throw- 
ing the  reins  to  an  acquaintance,  he 
dashed  into  the  mail-room  in  a  state 
of  great  apparent  excitement,   and, 
pretending  to  wipe 
the       perspiration 
from  his  face,    as 
if    overheated    by 
the  exercise  of  a 
long,    hard     ride, 
he  inquired,  impa- 
tiently," John  Mid- 
dleton,   where    is 
your  mail-key  ?  " 

Too  surprised  to 
answer,  the    mes- 


328  A    TRICKSTER    TRICKED. 

senger  stood  as  immovable  and  speechless  as  a  statue,  when 
the  question  was  repeated  in  a  tone  so  imperious  and  peremp- 
tory, that  it  seemed  to  preclude  the  possibility  of  further  tem- 
porizing. To  any  one  else  he  would  probably  have  denied 
the  possession  of  a  key,  but  knowing  that  a  lie  of  that  sort 
would  avail  nothing  in  the  present  instance,  he  replied,  "It 
is  here,"  producing  a  string  from  his  pocket. 

Taking  it  from  the  ring,  the  special  agent  handed  it  to 
the  clerk  from  Tilsit,  with  instructions  "To  take  charge  of 
the  mails  on  that  road  till  otherwise  ordered."  Turning  to 
the  messenger,  he  then  said,  "Middleton,  come  with  me." 

"Isn't  this  rather  an  unceremonious  proceeding ?"  queried 
that  worthy,  with  the  coolness  of  an  Arctic  iceberg. 

"Perhaps  so,"  answered  the  officer ;  "railroad  trains  don't 
wait  for  ceremony,  and  I  am  in  a  hurry.  Come,  there  is 
no  time  to  be  lost." 

"You  know,  I  presume,  what  you  are  doing,"  replied  the 
messenger  defensively. 

"Yes;  you  need  borrow  no  uneasiness  on  that  score,  Mr. 
Middleton.  I  do  know  what  I  am  about,  and  can  assure  you 
that  I  am  doing  right  well." 

The  train  was  about  to  move,  and  the  messenger  still 
seemed  exceedingly  averse  to  quitting  his  cosy  quarters  for 
the  cold  world  outside.  The  detective  took  him  by  the  arm, 
and  they  hurried  off  together. 

The  crowd  now  piled  across  the  platforms  of  the  cars, 
manifesting  great  curiosity,  but  keeping  at  a  respectful  dis- 
tance. No  event  since  the  organization  of  the  territory  had 
produced  so  much  popular  excitement  as  the  late  robbery, 
and,  in  addition  to  the  citizens  of  the  place,  the  large  num- 
bers then  in  attendance  on  the  United  States  court  at  Ceylon 
were  all  on  the  alert  to  see  "  what  Furay  was  going  to  do 
about  it."  With  a  vague  though  exalted  appreciation  of  what 
were  supposed  to  be  his  mystical  gifts,  they  could  not  see 
exactly  where  or  how  an  entrance  was  to  be  made  to  the 
heart  of  this  carefully  planned  affair. 


PRODUCING    THE    EVIDENCE.  329 

They  walked  in  silence  to  the  private  room  of  the  detective 
in  the  hotel.  The  messenger  in  every  look  and  action  mani- 
fested great  uneasiness  and  anxiety,  evidently  wondering 
whether  the  keen-scented  hound  of  the  law  had  really  struck 
a  decisive  trail.  Reason  assured  him  that  he  was  safe,  but 
the  apprehension  born  of  guilt  and  perplexity,  suggested 
that  after  all,  reason  might  be  wrong.  After  the  door  had 
closed  upon  them,  the  detective  began,  "Mr.  Middleton,  you 
deserve  a  better  fate  than  this,  and  God  knows  I  am  sorry, 
very  sorry,  that  your  crime  and  my  duties  have  created  our 
present  relations.  Middleton,  I  have  worked  hard.  When 
I  started  on  this  case,  little  did  I  foresee  that  the  cross 
would  fall  on  you.  But  I  may  as  well  tell  you  at  once, 
for  we  understand  each  other,  and  it  is  needless  to  waste 
words,  I've  got  you  dead." 

"Well,  if  you  have,"  replied  the  messenger,  "let  me  see 
it.  I  don't  propose  to  take  anything  on  trust.  If  you've  got 
me  dead,  show  your  hand." 

"I  shall  be  happy  to  accommodate  you  in  every  particu- 
lar," answered  the  special  agent,  pulling  from  one  pocket  the 
revised  description  of  the  stolen  money,  and  from  another 
two  ten-dollar  bills,  each  wrapped  up  separately,  and  labeled 
with  elaborate  care.  On  the  reverse  side  of  both  were 
several  hieroglyphics  which  struck  the  attention  of  the  rob- 
ber without  special  effort  on  the  part  of  the  exhibitor.  He 
would  not  have  turned  so  pale  had  he  known  that  the 
cabalistic  marks  were  made  a  few  hours  before  by  the  de- 
tective himself.  Spreading  out  the  description  deliberately, 
the  officer  continued:  "You  know  that  paper,  I  presume. 
Well,  let  us  see  whether  I  have  got  you  or  not.  Compare 
this  note  with  the  second  entry  in  the  list  of  tens.  Now  com- 
pare this  with  the  fifth." 

A  pair  of  uneasy  eyes  glanced  hurriedly  from  the  notes 
to  the  description,  and  back  again  from  the  description  to 
the  notes.  There  could  be  no  mistake.  The  correspondence 
was  exact.  The  fellow  turned  the  bills  over,  but  asked  no 


330  A   TRICKSTER    TRICKED. 

explanation  of  the  marks,  having  evidently  already  discovered 
far  more  than  it  was  comfortable  to  know. 

Then,  in  a  tone  of  subdued,  melancholy  triumph,  the  officer 
broke  in  upon  his  meditations,  "You  don't  think  I  have  got 
you,  Jack?" 

With  an  oath,  he  replied,  "Furay,  it  looks  so." 

"  Middleton,  what  demon  has  taken  possession  of  you  ?  How 
did  you  win  your  own  consent  to  do  this  terrible  wrong  ?  " 

In  silence  the  man  who  had  passed,  unscathed  by  the  law, 
through  many  dark  transactions,  squinted  with  a  furtive 
leer  out  of  his  schooled  and  practiced  eye,  trying  to  discover 
whether  the  detective  really  had  all  the  evidence  which  he 
seemed  to  have,  or  was  attempting  to  play  a  trick  on  him 
as  he  had  often  done  on  others.  After  deliberating  appar- 
ently about  the  propriety  of  answering,  he  inquired  abruptly, 
"  Furay,  where  did  you  get  those  bills  ? '' 

"Why,  Jack,  if  you  want  to  know  very  badly,  you  had 
better  ask  one  of  the  Schimmerhorn  boys.  It  is  enough  for 
you  to  know  that  I  have  them.  But  why  did  you  do  it? 
Was  you  crazy  with  drink,  or  what?  " 

"Well,  Furay,  I'll  tell  you.  I  have  been  drinking  and 
gambling.  Since  I  came  to  this  territory,  everything  has 
gone  against  me.  Nothing  that  I  have  touched  has  turned 
out  well.  Do  you  wonder  that  I  grew  so  desperate  as  not 
to  care  much  what  might  happen  to  me?  I  did  not  see 
how  under  heaven  I  could  ever  be  trapped  in  this  opera- 
tion, and  so  took  the  risk.  But  my  bad  luck  clung  to  me, 
and  here  is  the  result.  Perhaps  it  is  just  as  well,  anyhow. 
I  ask  you  again,  Furay,  where  did  you  get  those  bills?  " 

"I  told  you,  Jack,  it  is  sufficient  for  you  to  know  that 
I  have  them.  They  are  here.  John  Middleton,  it  is  enough 
to  make  angels  weep  to  see  a  man  of  your  talents  and 
opportunities  fall  as  you  have  fallen.  How  could  you  be- 
tray the  confidence  of  the  governor,  and  of  the  friends  who 
have  sustained  you  from  childhood?  How  could  you  bring 
dishonor  upon  wife  and  children  ?  " 


THAT  FIVE  HUNDRED  DOLLAR  NOTE.         33! 

"You  have  been  connected  with  courts  a  long  time.  The 
ways  of  justice  have  no  secrets  that  are  hidden  from  you. 
We  have  known  each  other  for  years,  and  you  are  well 
aware  that  it  is  not  my  habit  to  fire  blank  cartridges,  or 
waste  my  shot.  Now,  Jack,  I  am  going  to  be  candid  with 
you.  Having  shown  you  what  I  have,  I  am  going  to  admit 
what  I  have  not.  Frankly  I  do  not  know  what  you  did 
with  that  five  hundred  dollar  note.  Whatever  knowledge 
I  may  have  of  the  rest,  I  have  been  unable  to  find  any 
trace  of  that.  You  are  sufficiently  familiar  with  courts  and 
with  the  penalties  meted  out  to  poor  unfortunates,  situated 
as  you  are  now,  to  know  that  the  easiest  way  out  of  trouble 
is  the  best  way.  Come,  where  is  that  note? " 

"Let  us  understand  each  other,  Furay.  I  want  to  see 
the  exact  point  in  your  suggestion.  How  will  it  benefit  me 
to  tell  where  that  note  is  ?  " 

"Jack,  you  stole  that  bill  out  of  a  letter  intrusted  to  your 
charge,  and  if  you  deny  the  act,  I  propose  to  prove  it 
before  twelve  men.  I  appeal  to  your  experience  to  decide 
whether  it  is  better  to  acknowledge  your  folly  and  ask  for 
mercy  by  a  show  of  penitence,  or  to  drive  me  to  the  necessity 
of  exposing  to  the  world  the  full  measure  of  your  crime? 
In  which  case  will  the  court  be  more  likely  to  deal  with 
leniency  ?  " 

"Perhaps  you  are  right,  Furay.  In  fact,  I  believe  you 
are.  You  have  given  good  advice,  and  I  will  respond  in 
the  same  spirit.  If  you  go  to  B.  L.  Crandall,  of  Tilsit,  you 
will  find  it.  I  owed  him  one  hundred  and  thirty-seven 
dollars,  and  he  advanced  me  ninety-three  more  in  money 
and  goods,  promising  to  hold  the  note  till  I  redeemed  it. 
I  told  him  it  came  in  a  remittance  from  Washington,  and  that 
I  expected  more  from  the  same  source." 

"I  propose  to  go  to  Tilsit  to-night  for  that  bill,"  replied 
the  detective,  "  and  I  want  an  order  for  it." 

"To-night  in  this  storm!"  ejaculated  the  criminal,  in 
amazement. 


332  A    TRICKSTER    TRICKEfJ. 

"  Yes,  that  is  just  what  I  am  going  to  do." 

After  some  parley,  the  robber  wrote  the  following  order. 

"CEYLON,  TERRITORY,  February,  18 — . 

"B.  L.  CRANDALL,  TILSIT:  Please  deliver  to  Colonel 
John  B.  Furay,  who  is  a  special  agent  of  the  post-office  de- 
partment, that  $500  bill  that  I  let  you  have.  My  statement 
to  you  about  it  was  not  correct.  It  belongs  to  the  post- 
office  department,  and  Colonel  Furay  must  have  that  identi- 
cal bill. 

(Signed)  JOHN  MIDDLETON." 

The  prisoner  was  turned  over  to  the  United  States  marshal 
for  the  territory,  who  happened  to  be  in  Ceylon  in  attendance 
on  the  district  court. 

After  considerable  trouble  and  delay,  a  span  of  horses  with  a 
driver  were  procured,  and  the  special  agent  set  forth  through 
the  darkness  and  the  rain  for  Tilsit,  forty-three  miles  distant. 
It  was  his  purpose  to  reach  there  and  secure  the  stolen  note 
before  any  possible  alarm  could  be  sounded  by  telegraph  the 
next  morning.  The  roads  were  bad,  the  mud  deep,  and 
the  drive  slow ;  but  the  travelers,  drenched  till  they  were 
water-soaked,  arrived  at  Tilsit  about  four  o'clock  A.  M.  The 
little  town  was  buried  in  silence  and  slumber.  He  called 
first  at  the  jail  to  inquire  where  Crandall  lived,  and  was 
there  directed  to  the  sheriff,  who,  like  the  jailer,  was  un- 
able to  give  the  desired  information.  He  then  drove  to  the 
house  of  the  postmaster,  an  honest,  faithful  old  gentleman, 
whom,  on  account  of  advanced  age,  he  desired,  if  possible, 
to  avoid  disturbing  at  that  unseasonable  hour.  The  ex- 
cellent old  man,  however,  rose  with  alacrity,  and  getting 
into  the  buggy,  piloted  the  way  to  Crandall's.  After  some 
delay  and  parley  through  the  window,  that  gentleman  an- 
swered the  bell  in  person,  and  invited  the  callers  in.  The 
special  agent  declined  to  advance  beyond  the  oil-cloth  in 
the  outer  hall,  as  the  water  dripping  from  his  garments  made 
a  pool  around  his  feet. 


AN   EARLY    CALL.  333 

"Mr.  Crandall,"  inquired  the  officer,  "you  know  John 
Middleton?" 

"Yes,  I  know  such  a  person." 

"Mr.  Crandall,  he  gave  you  a  five  hundred  dollar  bill  the 
third  of  this  month." 


"  I  am  certainly  sorry  to  have  disturbed  you,  but  I  must  have  that  bill." 

"What  business  is  it  of  yours,"  replied  that  gentleman, 
querulously,  "whether  he  did  or  did  not?  Is  it  for  a  matter 
of  no  greater  consequence  that  you  dragged  me  out  of 
bed?" 

"I  am  certainly  sorry  to  have  disturbed  you,  but  I  must 


334  A   TRICKSTER    TRICKED. 

have  that  bill.  Here  is  a  written  order  for  it.  The  bill 
was  stolen  from  the  mails.  I  want  it  at  once,  and  want  it 
badly.  The  business  does  not  admit  of  temporizing.  Where 
is  it?" 

"  I  haven't  got  it." 

"What  have  you  done  with  it?" 

"I  do  not  understand  this  thing,"  remonstrated  Crandall. 
"I  want  to  know  whether  I  am  getting  into  a  scrape  or 
not." 

w  I  certainly  have  no  purpose  or  desire  to  bring  trouble 
upon  you,"  answered  the  officer.  "  One  can  only  be  com- 
promised by  his  own  misconduct,  and  there  is  nothing  at 
present  to  indicate  that  your  connection  with  this  business 
is  not  legitimate  and  proper.  However,  very  likely  without 
suspecting  it,  you  have  been  dealing  with  a  thief,  and  in 
the  prosecution  of  the  case  I  am  compelled  to  call  on  you 
for  the  stolen  property  that  has  fallen  into  your  hands." 

"  I  do  not  see  the  need  of  rousing  the  town  in  the  dead 
hours  of  night,"  replied  the  merchant  evasively,  having 
gathered  courage  from  the  frank  statement  of  the  visitor. 
"Can't  the  matter  be  attended  to  just  as  well  in  the  morn- 
ing?" 

"  It  cannot,"  answered  he.  "  I  have  not  ridden  forty 
miles  through  the  darkness  and  the  storm  for  nothing. 
Rightfully  or  wrongfully  you  hold  possession  of  a  bill  stolen 
from  the  mails.  That  bill  I  must  have  immediately." 

At  this  point  the  postmaster  mildly  remarked,  "You  will 
not  get  into  any  trouble  if  you  pursue  a  frank  and  straight- 
forward course ;  but  to  avoid  trouble,  you  must  act  squarely." 

Crandall  then  proceeded  to  explain.  "Middleton  did  give 
me  such  a  bill.  He  had  been  owing  me  for  years.  After 
holding  it  a  few  days,  surmising  it  might  be  a  counterfeit,  I 
took  it  to  the  president  of  the  bank  where  I  keep  my  account. 
As  both  of  us  were  in  doubt,  we  made  a  record  of  the  num- 
bers, and  sent  it  to  Chicago  for  deposit.  It  proved  to  be 
good," 


THE    PUNISHMENT.  335 

w  Have  you  the  numbers  ?  "  queried  the  agent. 

"Yes." 

"Where  are  they?" 

"  In  the  safe  at  my  store." 

"Well,"  urged  the  agent,  "I  must  have  them  now." 

After  a  futile  remonstrance  against  the  exposure  to  the 
storm,  the  merchant  led  the  way  to  the  store,  unlocked  the 
safe,  and  took  therefrom  a  complete  description  of  the  note 
which  Middleton  had  stolen  from  the  mails.  Upon  that 
important  scrap  of  paper  the  three  placed  their  initials  with 
the  date,  so  that  no  dispute  might  ever  arise  in  regard  to 
its  identity. 

Now  for  the  first  time  the  detective  had  legal  evidence 
to  establish  the  guilt  of  the  criminal,  and  he  felt  a  hundred- 
fold repaid  for  the  dismal  night  ride  through  mud  and  rain. 

He  went  home  with  the  postmaster,  borrowed  a  dry  shirt, 
and  took  a  short  nap  while  his  garments  were  drying.  So 
hot  had  been  the  chase  that  this  was  the  first  time  he  had 
closed  his  eyes  in  sleep  for  nearly  sixty  hours. 

Crandall,  as  was  afterward  learned,  turned  out  to  be 
K  crooked  "  in  some  of  his  transactions,  and  fell  into  serious 
trouble  in  consequence.  Had  the  detective  waited  till  the 
next  day  to  make  a  comfortable  trip  to  Tilsit  on  the  cars, 
he  would  very  probably  have  lost  the  case. 

Of  course  no  one  but  a  person  terribly  in  earnest  would 
have  driven  over  forty  miles  by  night  in  a  pelting  storm  to 
make  sure  of  a  scrap  of  evidence ;  but,  it  should  be  remem- 
bered, only  persons  who  are  terribly  in  earnest  ever  suc- 
ceed as  special  agents  of  the  post-office  department.  The 
picked  men  of  the  force  are  the  men  that  in  an  army  would 
be  selected  to  lead  a  forlorn  hope,  and  that  would  fall  if  need 
be  pierced  by  a  thousand  bullets  before  they  would  turn  their 
backs  on  danger. 

In  all,  three  hundred  and  thirty  dollars  of  the  stolen 
money  was  recovered  and  restored  to  the  government, 


A    TRICKSTER    TRICKED. 

eighty-six  dollars  having  been   found  on  the   person  of  the 
prisoner,  which  was  applied  to  the  purpose. 

The  offender  soon  heard  of  the  sham  ride,  and  concluded 
that  "undue  duress,"  or  some  other  illegal  squeezing  ma- 
chine, had  been  applied  to  him.  Backed  by  influential 
friends,  he  made  a  prolonged  and  desperate  effort  to  escape 
from  the  penalty  of  his  crimes,  but,  after  lying  in  jail  for 
eighteen  months,  decided  to  plead  guilty  in  open  court  to 
two  indictments.  He  received  a  moderate  sentence.  As  no 
evidence  was  presented  at  the  trial,  the  ruse  de  guerre  was 
never  exposed. 


1 


ROM  small  beginnings,  like 
most  successful  enterprises, 
the  boarding-school  for  young 
ladies  at  Cheltham  had  grown 
into  a  "female  seminary"  of 
wide  celebrity  and  high  repute. 
The  village,  or  embryo  city,  re- 
garded by  the  residents  as  the 
most  attractive  on  the  Ameri- 
can coast,  traced  its  prosper- 
ity, in  great  measure,  to  the 
school.  Retired  merchants  and 
manufacturers,  with  children 
to  educate,  in  looking  about 
for  choice  locations,  convenient 
to  the  large  towns  where  they 
had  accumulated  fortunes,  but 
free  from  the  din  and  confu- 
sion of  the  metropolis,  were 
drawn  thither  not  more  by  the 
quiet  beauty  of  the  surround- 
ings, than  by  the  advantages  held  out  for  the  training  of  the 
young.  One  after  another  they  bought  and  built,  till  the  broad 
avenues  radiating  from  the  nucleus  of  business  were  lined  with 
miniature  palaces,  the  abodes  of  wealth  and  culture,  of  taste 
and  refinement.  A  residence  at  Cheltham  is  regarded  by  the 

22 


Miss  Edna  Norman. 


33$  LOST   AND    SAVED. 

highly-favored  ones  who  live  there  as  a  sort  of  patent  of 
nobility.  Few  emotions  give  more  pleasure  in  a  small  way 
than  the  ebullitions  of  semi-rural  patriotism,  for  each  individual 
seems  to  himself  to  be  a  large  part  of  the  place.  "  Et  quorum 
•pars  magna  fui"  The  sentiment  is  as  old  as  poetry. 

The  roofs  on  the  eastern  slope  of  the  town  overlook  an 
island-studded  bay,  jutting  up  from  the  ocean.  The  lotos- 
eaters,  wooed  by  the  summer  sea-breezes,  might  have  lived 
and  died  here  in  perfect  content.  As  might  be  expected,  the 
darker  sides  of  human  nature  were  seldom  brought  into  prom- 
inence in  such  a  community. 

In  the  course  of  time,  the  even  flow  of  events  was  inter- 
rupted, and  the  post-office  department  was  urgently  invited  to 
send  thither  a  detective.  In  this  instance  the  sufferers  were 
not  to  be  found  among  the  merchants  or  millionaires,  but 
among  the  pupils  at  the  seminary.  Many  letters  addressed 
to  the  young  ladies  failed  to  reach  them.  This  was  particu- 
larly true  of  missives  containing  valuable  inclosures,  though 
simple  letters  of  affection  and  friendship  were  often  intercepted. 
The  principal  became  alarmed,  and  sent  an  appeal  for  help  to 
the  postmaster-general. 

The  papers  were  duly  forwarded  to  special  agent  Sharretts, 
who,  as  a  preliminary  step,  studied  carefully  the  character  of 
the  losses.  The  town  received  its  mails  by  a  single  line  of 
railway,  while  the  missing  letters  came  from  both  directions 
and  from  widely  separated  parts  of  the  country.  If  a  route 
agent  was  inclined  to  be  dishonest,  he  would  hardly  confine 
his  depredations  to  a  single  village  on  the  line  of  the  road,  or 
purloin  letters  which  obviously  contained  nothing  of  value. 
At  the  local  office  the  business  was  transacted  by  the  post- 
master and  one  clerk,  neither  of  whom,  if  a  thief,  would  be 
likely  to  restrict  his  operations  to  a  single  institution.  How- 
ever, to  avoid  possible  mistakes,  the  special  agent  tested  the 
office  till  fully  satisfied  that  the  trouble  was  not  there. 

He  next  turned  his  attention  to  a  cross-eyed,  dilapidated 
cripple,  who  hung  about  the  seminary,  and  was  supposed  to 


DANGEROUS    CURIOSITY.  339 

act  as  mail  messenger.  Observation  for  a  brief  period  dis- 
covered that  he  was  very  irregular  in  the  performance  of  the 
duty,  and  a  little  maneuvering  satisfied  the  detective  that  the 
poor  creature  was  innocent.  Thus,  by  logical  necessity,  the 
inquiry  was  narrowed  down  to  the  school  itself,  and  the  officer 
was  forced  to  the  conclusion  that  he  must  look  for  the  thief  in 
one  of  the  inmates. 

While  watching  the  movements  of  the  messenger,  he  noticed 
that  a  particular  young  lady  acted  often  as  his  substitute,  taking 
not  only  her  own  mail,  but  that  of  the  other  pupils  also.  He  fur- 
ther observed  that  she  carefully  scrutinized  each  letter,  turning  it 
over,  and  in  some  instances  holding  the  envelope  between  her 
eye  and  the  light.  The  frequency  of  her  visits  to  the  post- 
office,  supplemented  by  these  evidences  of  a  prying  curiosity, 
led  him  to  study  her  appearance  and  actions  attentively.  It 
occasionally  happens  that  an  officer  foresees  that,  in  the  per- 
formance of  a  painful  duty  which,  if  possible,  he  would  thrust 
away  as  a  bitter  cup,  he  must  encounter  woman,  not  to  render 
homage,  but  to  bring  home  the  terrors  of  a  broken  law.  Under 
any  circumstances  the  ordeal  is  severe,  and  in  the  higher  walks 
of  life  it  is  terrible.  In  view  of  the  approaching  trial,  however, 
the  looks,  motions,  tones,  and  general  demeanor  of  the  sus- 
pected criminal  become  invested  with  a  dreadful  fascination. 

About  eighteen  years  old,  rather  above  the  medium  height, 
and  a  brilliant  brunette  of  the  tropical  type,  she  dressed  rather 
richly  for  a  school-girl,  though  always  in  good  taste,  and 
showed  in  the  correctness  of  her  language  and  the  modula- 
tions of  her  voice  the  effects  of  careful  training  from  child- 
hood. But  her  eyes  were  at  once  a  revelation  and  a  mystery. 
Partially  screened  by  long,  thick  lashes,  those  orbs  of  liquid 
light  seemed  to  emit  heat  and  cold,  fire  and  frost  in  alternating 
flashes.  They  could  allure  a  young  companion  with  the  fasci- 
nation of  a  serpent,  or  freeze,  if  so  disposed,  with  the  chill  of 
an  iceberg.  Held  within  the  limits  of  propriety  by  the  force 
of  patient  discipline,  she  appeared  to  be  a  reservoir  of  untamed 
power  that  surged  back  and  forth,  impatient  of  barriers  —  a 


LOST    AND    SAVED. 

germ  of  vast  possibilities  for  good  or  evil.  One  would  expect 
to  meet  such  types  of  beauty  in  the  Indies,  but  not  under  the 
cold  glimmer  of  the  northern  star. 

Having  discovered  this  much,  the  officer  decided  to  call 
upon  the  principal  of  the  seminary,  to  make  some  necessary 
inquiries,  and  to  learn  what  degree  of  co-operation  he  might 
expect.  He  was  received  very  courteously  by  Miss  De  Lacy, 
and  without  intimating  the  character  of  his  suspicions,  he  man- 
aged to  turn  the  conversation  upon  the  scholars  generally,  and 
upon  Miss  Edna  Norman  in  particular.  It  appeared  she  was  the 
only  child  of  wealthy  and  highly  connected  parents,  in  one  of  the 
most  important  of  our  commercial  towns,  and  that  no  want  of 
hers  was  suffered  to  go  ungratified.  In  the  way  of  dress  and 
ornaments  she  was  the  recipient  of  presents  much  in  advance 
of  her  years  and  position  as  a  school-girl.  "Why,"  remarked 
Miss  De  Lacy,  whose  studies  were  of  a  philosophical  turn, 
"  if  Miss  Edna  should  express  a  wish  to  bathe  in  liquid  moon- 
shine, her  friends  would  cheerfully  bear  all  the  expenses  of 
distillation.  They  are  most  excellent  people,  and  mean  to  be 
prudent  in  indulging  their  daughter,  but  find  it  exceedingly 
difficult  to  keep  within  bounds  the  promptings  of  generosity." 

According  to  the  teacher,  the  character  of  the  young  lady 
was  irreproachable  in  every  respect,  while  her  talents  and 
accomplishments  placed  her  in  the  front  rank  of  the  school. 
She  was  not  studious,  but  very  quick,  absorbing  knowledge 
as  a  sponge  drinks  moisture.  Her  latent  tendencies  toward 
waywardness  had  obviously  never  attracted  the  attention  of  the 
principal,  which  was  itself  an  evidence  that  she  deserved,  in  a 
measure  at  least,  the  praise  so  freely  bestowed  upon  her. 

Other  pupils  passed  under  similar  though  briefer  review. 
By  no  word  or  look  did  the  detective  intimate  a  doubt  of  the 
correctness  of  Miss  De  Lacy's  impressions.  At  the  same  time 
the  losses  were  discussed,  and  the  principal  expressed  great 
anxiety  to  have  the  offender  discovered,  as  the  depredations 
from  extent  and  frequency  could  not  fail  to  affect  injuriously 
the  reputation  of  the  seminary.  To  this  end,  she  agreed  to 


THE    BAIT    TAKEN.  34! 

assist  privately  by  every  means  in  her  power.  With  the 
understanding  that  they  were  to  co-operate,  the  detective  took 
leave,  promising  to  soon  repeat  the  visit. 

It  was  arranged  that  the  detective  should  furnish  Miss  De 
Lacy  lists  of  every  lot  of  letters  sent  to  the  seminary  from  the 
post-office,  no  matter  who  might  act  as  messenger.  She  was 
to  compare  the  lists  with  the  letters  actually  delivered,  and  if 
any  were  missing,  a  correct  inference  in  regard  to  the  identity 
of  the  thief  could  easily  be  drawn.  He  was  destined,  however, 
to  discover  the  truth  by  a  much. simpler  and  more  expeditious 
method. 

He  prepared  a  decoy  well  suited  to  appeal  to  curiosity  and 
the  love  of  adornment, — twin  weaknesses  of  the  female  mind, 
as  some  unsympathetic  men  are  wont  to  characterize  them. 
By  a  mild  stratagem  he  contrived  to  have  the  customary  mes- 
senger detailed  temporarily  for  other  employment. 

The  next  day,  while  loitering  in  the  lobby  of  the  post-office, 
after  the  distribution  of  the  heavy  noon  mail,  he  saw  Miss 
Norman  approaching  alone.  She  received  the  mail  for  the 
seminary,  including  the  missive  prepared  expressly  for  her 
benefit.  In  running  the  letters  over,  she  paused  on  reaching 
this  one,  and  inspected  it  very  closely.  Placing  the  package 
in  her  pocket,  she  left,  and  sauntered  homeward,  followed  at 
a  respectful  distance,  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  street,  by  a 
gentleman  who  was  particularly  interested  to  see  what  treat- 
ment his  venture  sustained  at  her  hands.  On  reaching  a  por- 
tion of  the  way  partially  screened  by  shrubbery,  she  dexterously 
drew  forth  the  letter,  and  tore  off  the  end.  Then,  as  if  in 
alarm,  she  thrust  it  back,  and,  quickening  her  steps,  soon  dis- 
appeared. The  gentleman,  who  had  observed  these  move- 
ments with  so  much  curiosity,  followed  leisurely  behind,  and 
not  long  after  rang  the  bell  at  the  door  of  the  seminary.  He 
called  for  Miss  De  Lacy,  and  in  a  few  minutes  that  gentle  and 
thoroughly  estimable  lady  presented  herself  with  an  apology, 
hardly  required  under  the  circumstances,  for  her  delay.  The 
incidents  already  described  were  briefly  narrated.  The  prin- 


342 


LOST    AND    SAVED. 


cipal  could  only  ejaculate, 
"Can  it  be  possible,  can 
it  be  possible?"  The  fall 
of  a  favorite  pupil  seemed 
to  paralyze  her  faculties, 
while  the  injury  likely  to 
result  to  the  reputation  of 
the  school  was  doubtless 
greatly  magnified  in  the 
mental  turmoil  incident  to 
the  discovery. 

At  this  juncture  the 
dinner-bell  rang,  and  feet 
were  heard  trooping  gayly 
through  the  halls.  "Can- 
not there  be  some  mistake 
about  the  identity  of  the 
young  lady  ? "  inquired 
Miss  De  Lacy,  catching  at 
straws  in  the  extremity  of 
her  pain. 

"  I  am  afraid  not,"  re- 
plied the  officer,  and  he 
proceeded  to  describe  her 
dress. 

"It  must  be,  it  must 
be,"  ejaculated  the  prin- 
cipal, sorrowfully.  "  She 
wore  such  a  dress  this 
morning,  and  has  just 
changed  it  for  dinner." 

"If  that  is  the  case, 
madam,  I  must  request 
you  to  conduct  me  to  the 
room  of  Miss  Norman, 


THE    DISCOVERY. 


343 


where  you  will  probably  find  such  evidences  of  guilt  as  will 
fully  verify  my  suspicions." 

At  first  she  demurred  feebly,  but  soon  yielding  a  half 
involuntary  compliance,  she  led  the  way  up  stairs  to  a  neatly 
furnished  apartment,  which  she  said  was  allotted  to  the  exclu- 


44  Taking  it  down,  and  thrusting  his  hand  into  the  pocket,  he  drew 
forth,  not  only  the  decoy,  but  several  other  letters." 

sive  use  of  the  suspected  pupil.  Pictures  adorned  the  walls, 
and  in  one  corner  stood  a  wardrobe.  "Will  you  be  kind 
enough,  madam,"  said  the  officer,  pointing  to  the  wardrobe, 
"  to  produce  the  dress  which  Miss  Norman  wore  this  morning." 


344  LOST   AND    SAVED. 

The  principal,  however,  pale,  and  struggling  to  keep  back 
the  tears,  remained  immovable  as  if  powerless  to  stir.  There- 
upon the  officer  opened  the  door,  when  first  in  the  array  of 
female  apparel  was  displayed  the  ill-fated  suit.  Taking  it 
down,  and  thrusting  his  hand  into  the  pocket,  he  drew  forth 
not  only  the  decoy,  but  several  other  letters  addressed  to  dif- 
ferent members  of  the  school,  all  of  which  had  been  broken 
open.  After  these  had  been  exhibited  in  detail  to  the  astonished 
principal,  so  that  she  might  fully  grasp  the  situation,  he  re- 
marked, "I  trust  you  are  now  fully  convinced,  madam,  of  the 
correctness  of  my  surmises,  and  that  you  will  not  hesitate  from 
over-sensibility  to  afford  me  an  opportunity  to  interview  Miss 
Norman.  I  have  reached  a  stage  in  the  investigation  where 
it  is  absolutely  necessary  that  I  should  converse  with  her  alone, 
with  the  view  to  a  complete  discovery  of  the  facts." 

"I  cannot  urge  any  objection,  sir/'  replied  she,  so  bewildered 
by  the  terrible  developments  that  she  led  the  way  back  to  the 
parlor  in  silence,  and,  bidding  her  guest  to  be  seated,  left  in 
quest  of  the  young  lady. 

A  few  minutes  later  the  door  opened,  and  Miss  Norman 
stepped  lightly  in.  From  the  smiles  that  wreathed  her  face,  it 
was  evident  that  she  expected  to  meet  some  relative  or  friend, 
and  the  disappointment  produced  by  the  sight  of  a  total  stran- 
ger found  quick  expression  on  her  countenance. 

"  Miss  Norman  ?  "  interrogated  the  stranger,  rising. 

"Yes,  sir/' 

"  Please,  take  a  seat,  Miss  Norman.  I  desire  to  converse 
with  you  a  few  minutes/' 

"With  me?"  inquired  she,  in  great  surprise. 

"Yes,  ma'am,  with  you.  I  am  a  special  agent  of  the  post- 
office  department,  and  am  now  in  this  locality  for  the  purpose 
of  investigating  complaints  which  are  supposed  to  connect  the 
loss  of  letters  addressed  to  the  pupils  of  this  institution  with 
carelessness  or  dishonesty  in  the  post-office.  Knowing  that 
the  young  ladies  have  suffered  great  annoyance,  I  wish,  before 
proceeding  further,  to  obtain  exact  information  in  reference  to 


FORMING    A    DISAGREEABLE    ACQUAINTANCE.  345 

the  depredations.  Have  you  heard  complaints  from  others,  or 
have  you  any  to  make  yourself  ?  " 

*  I  regret,  sir,"  replied  she,  coldly,  "  that  I  have  no  informa- 
tion whatever  to  give  in  regard  to  the  missing  epistles,  either 
on  my  own  account,  or  on  account  of  the  other  pupils.  I  must 
say  I  have  heard  very  little  about  the  matter.  I  am  at  a  loss 
to  conjecture  why  any  one  should  consult  me  on  a  subject  about 
which  I  know  little  and  care  less." 

The  last  sentence  was  delivered  with  an  air  of  petulance 
and  impatience  as  if  the  speaker  wished  to  terminate  a  dis- 
agreeable conference.  She  rose  from  the  chair  like  one  born 
to  command  rather  than  to  obey,  and,  dropping  a  haughty  bow 
to  the  gentleman,  was  about  to  depart  without  further  waste 
of  ceremony,  when  he  spoke  with  an  emphasis  and  authority 
which  interrupted  the  incipient  courtesy.  "  Wait  one  moment, 
if  you  please,  Miss  Norman.  It  may  seem  singular  to  you 
that  a  stranger  should  solicit  an  interview  for  the  purpose  of 
questioning  you  on  a  topic  so  alien  apparently  to  your  situa- 
tion and  thoughts.  As  you  will  find,  however,  I  have  excellent 
reasons  for  my  course.  Before  explaining  them,  however, 
let  me  premise  that  I  have  discovered  the  thief." 

The  color  left  the  cheeks  of  the  girl,  and  for  a  moment  she 
stood  pale  and  speechless  like  a  marble  statue.  Then,  with 
a  masterly  effort  to  regain  her  composure,  she  remarked,  in 
tones  of  forced  indifference,  "I  am  at  a  loss  to  see  how  that 


concerns  me,  sir." 


"  It  concerns  you  very  deeply,"  replied  the  special  agent. 
"I  have  been  accustomed  from  youth  to  reverence  womanhood, 
and,  in  the  performance  of  the  painful  duties  that  often  devolve 
upon  me,  I  have  in  a  few  instances  been  compelled  to  utter 
words  that  seem  cruel  to  those  who  by  virtue  of  sex  should 
command  my  homage.  You  can  imagine,  then,  how  much 
pain  it  costs  me  to  tell  you  that  I  know  all.  Here  are  a  num- 
ber of  letters,  broken  open  hardly  an  hour  ago,  and  found  in 
your  pocket.  I  stood  near  wrhen  you  tore  off  the  end  of  this 
one."  He  spread  out  the  missives  for  her  inspection. 


346  LOST    AND    SAVED. 

During  the  colloquy  extraordinary  changes  had  passed  in 
quick  succession  over  the  expressive  countenance  of  the  cul- 
prit. She  entered  the  parlor  with  bounding  steps,  in  fullness 
of  life  and  spirit.  The  revulsion  of  feeling  produced  at  meet- 
ing a  stranger  instead  of  a  friend,  and  at  the  commonplace 
character  of  the  errand  which  called  her  from  more  pleasur- 
able occupations,  she  made  no  effort  to  disguise.  At  the  first 
hint  tending  to  connect  her  with  the  crime,  her  eye  flashed 
defiance  as  if  she  expected  to  crush  the  hateful  intruder  with 
a  look.  How  Vain  the  attempt,  how  idle  her  self-confidence, 
she  soon  realized  !  As  well  might  raw  recruits  essay  to  storm 
a  rampart  bristling  with  guns,  and  manned  by  veterans  who 
had  faced  the  perils  of  a  hundred  conflicts.  The  girl  wilted 
before  the  steady  eye  of  the  man,  and  when  the  mutilated 
letters  were  shown,  she  gave  up  completely.  Pride,  dignity, 
composure,  were  thrown  to  the  winds.  Clasping  her  hands  in 
the  attitude  of  a  suppliant,  and  advancing  a  few  steps  toward 
the  officer,  she  exclaimed  pathetically,  "Do  not  expose  me. 
O,  spare  me —  save  me!"  And  then,  as  if  communing  with 
herself,  "What  will  father  say?  My  poor,  dear  mother! 
What  cruel  fiend  has  possessed  me ! " 

"  Miss  Norman,"  said  the  officer,  "  I  hardly  need  assure  you 
that  you  have  my  profoundest  sympathies.  I  shall  do  nothing 
needlessly  to  add  the  weight  of  a  hair  to  the  load  which  is 
already  crushing  you.  The  investigation,  however,  must  be 
pushed  to  the  end.  A  part  of  my  mission  is  to  right  the  wrongs 
that  have  been  done.  As  you  hope  for  mercy  here  and  here- 
after, you  must  aid  in  the  work  of  restitution.  Where  are  the 
other  letters  taken  by  you?" 

"They  are  locked  up  in  my  trunk,  sir,"  replied  the  girl, 
submissively. 

"  I  will  go  with  you,"  answered  he  ;  "  and  you  must  deliver 
them  all  up  to  me." 

Interposing  no  objection,  she  led  the  way  in  silence  to  her 
room,  and  cautiously  closed  the  door,  that  none  of  the  other 
scholars  might  discover  how  grievously  she  had  injured  them. 


A   MYSTERIOUS    CASKET.  347 

For  a  moment  she  hesitated  irresolutely,  and  then,  at  the  bid- 
ding of  the  officer,  unlocked  a  large  trunk.  By  his  direction, 
she  began  to  remove  the  garments  one  by  one.  Mutilated 
letters,  addressed  to  different  members  of  the  school,  came  to 
light,  singly  and  in  packages,  scattered  promiscuously  among 
the  clothing.  As  these  were  handed  to  the  special  agent,  he 
placed  them  in  piles  on  the  table.  While  his  eye  was  partially 
averted,  he  noticed  that  the  girl  dexterously  folded  what  ap- 
peared to  be  a  small  wooden  box,  in  some  article  of  apparel, 
which  she  then  nervously  removed  as  if  especially  desirous 
of  concealing  it.  After  reaching  the  bottom  of  the  trunk,  he 
inquired,  "  Are  these  all  the  letters  you  have  belonging  to  the 
other  young  ladies?" 

"  Yes,  sir,  all." 

"  Have  you  ever  destroyed  any  ?  " 

"  No,  sir,  not  one." 

"  Miss  Norman,  what  disposition  did  you  make  of  the  con- 
tents of  these  letters  ?  " 

"  I  put  them  back,  sir." 

"Where?" 

"  Into  the  letters,  sir,  that  they  were  taken  from.  I  have 
never  made  any  use  of  any  of  the  inclosures.  You  will  find 
everything  just  as  it  came  into  my  hands." 

"  What  was  your  object  in  breaking  them  open?  " 

"  O,  I  don't  know,  I  don't  know.  I  must  have  been  crazy. 
I  shall  certainly  go  distracted ; "  and,  covering  her  face  with 
her  hands,  she  burst  into  tears. 

The  officer  walked  around  to  the  opposite  end  of  the  trunk, 
and  picked  up  the  box  which  the  culprit  was  evidently  over- 
anxious to  conceal.  It  was  made  of  rosewood,  inlaid <  with 
ivory  —  a  piece  of  elaborate  and  costly  workmanship.  As  he 
lifted  it  from  its  hiding-place,  the  girl  sprang  at  him  with  the 
fury  of  a  tigress,  and  forgetting  herself,  exclaimed,  in  a  tone  of 
almost  savage  intensity,  "  You  shall  not  examine  that,  sir ; " 
then,  remembering  that  the  man  held  her  destiny  in  his  gripe, 
her  manner  suddenly  changed  to  softness,  and  in  pleading 


LOST    AND    SAVED. 

accents  she  begged  him  not  to  open  it.  The  discovery  of  her 
guilt,  with  the  dread  prospect  of  exposure  and  punishment, 
had  not  affected  her  so  profoundly  as  the  appearance  in  the 
hands  of  a  stranger  of  that  simple  casket.  The  situation  per- 
plexed the  officer  exceedingly.  While  sincerely  desirous  to 
save  her  from  unnecessary  pain,  he  began  to  suspect  from  her 
extreme  agitation  that  she  was  even  more  guilty  than  previous 
developments  indicated,  and  that  the  proof  of  the  fact  would 
be  found  in  the  box.  It  was  not  his  habit  to  stop  in  the  middle 
of  an  investigation,  or  to  rest  satisfied  with  partial  and  im- 
perfect discoveries.  At  the  same  time  he  had  no  prurient  curi- 
osity to  gratify,  or  disposition  to  transcend  in  the  least  the  strict 
limit  of  official  inquiry.  While  determined  to  learn  the  extent 
of  her  criminality  in  connection  with  the  robberies,  he  was 
equally  desirous  not  to  go  a  step  beyond.  He  tried  to  explain 
the  requirements  of  his  position,  but  the  young  lady  was  in- 
sensible to  arguments  and  persuasion.  Finally,  to  cut  the 
matter  short,  he  remarked,  peremptorily,  w  The  contents  of 
that  box  I  must  examine,  and  if  they  have  no  relation  to  the  un- 
happy events  which  brought  me  hither,  rest  assured  no  one  else 
will  ever  be  the  wiser  for  it." 

"Guilty  as  I  am,  wicked  as  you  think  me  to  be,"  remon- 
strated the  girl,  "there  is  nothing  concealed  in  that  box  which 
it  concerns  you  to  know.  If  I  have  but  one  favor  to  ask, 
please  believe  my  words,  and  return  it." 

Although  her  manner  was  now  frank,  her  statement  ap- 
peared to  the  officer  incredible.  Already  during  the  day  she 
had  both  stolen  and  falsified,  so  that  he  was  hardly  ready  to 
accept  her  declarations  till  she  had  brought  forth  fruit  more 
meet  for  repentance.  Taking  a  string  of  keys  from  the  trunk, 
he  unlocked  the  casket,  while  the  girl  averted  her  face  in 
silent,  sullen  submission  to  an  overmastering  fate.  A  glance 
informed  him  that  she  had  spoken  the  truth.  He  closed  and 
replaced  the  box  with  an  apology  which  elicited  no  reply. 

As  the  detective  was  proceeding  in  the  story  without  further 
reference  to  the  episode,  the  writer  ventured  to  interrupt  the 


THE    PRINCIPAL   SUMMONED, 


349 


flow  of  the  narrative  by  interpolating  a  reminder.    "Sharretts, 
you  omitted  to  mention  what  you  saw  on  lifting  the  cover." 

"  Yes,"  replied  he.  "  Perhaps  I  erred  in  alluding  to  the 
incident  at  all,  though  it  made  a  deep  impression  on  me  at  the 
time,  and  comes  back  with  great  vividness  now.  Even  after 
the  lapse  of  many  years,  I  cannot  consent  to  violate  the  promise 
then  voluntarily  proffered  to  the  heart-broken  child.  This 
much  I  will  say,  however,  the  casket  held  nothing  which  re- 
flected in  the  slightest  degree  upon  the  purity  of  her  character. 
You  must  excuse  me  if  I  tell  no  more." 


"  Taking  a  string  of  keys  from  the  trunk,  he  unlocked  the  casket,  while  the 
girl  averted  her  face  in  silent,  sullen  submission." 

Having  discovered  the  full  extent  of  the  depredations,  and 
recovered  the  stolen  property,  the  officer  remarked,  "I  must 
now  summon  Miss  De  Lacy.  She  must  know  all." 

'"  Please,  do  not,"  remonstrated  the  girl,  with  tears  streaming 
from  her  eyes.  "It  will  surely  kill  me  to  have  her  learn  what 


350  LOST    AND    SAVED. 

a  guilty  wretch  I  am.  She  has  always  been  so  trustful,  so 
kind  !  O,  why  do  I  live  !  Why  can't  I  die  !  Terrible,  ter- 
rible !  So  happy  yesterday,  to-day  ruined,  ruined  forever ! 
My  heart  will  break."  And  she  clasped  her  palms  over  her 
heart  in  a  vain  effort  to  repress  its  convulsive  throbs. 

ft  Young  lady,"  resumed  the  detective,  w  let  me  entreat  you 
to  be  calm.  Do  not  yield  to  these  violent  paroxysms  of  grief. 
The  real  penalty  of  crime  belongs  to  the  commission,  not  to 
the  discovery.  If  truly  penitent,  you  are  far  better  off  to-day 
than  you  were  yesterday.  It  is  for  your  sake  alone  that  I  de- 
sire the  presence  of  Miss  De  Lacy.  You  have  broken  the  laws 
of  the  land,  thereby  rendering  yourself  liable  to  arrest  and  im- 
prisonment. Instead  of  pushing  the  case  against  you,  I  desire 
to  intercede  in  your  behalf,  and  can  only  hope  to  prevail  through 
the  co-operation  of  the  principal." 

"  Must  you  expose  me  to  the  whole  school?"  she  gasped. 

"  O,  no,  ma'am.  Rest  easy  on  that  point.  I  will  keep  the 
matter  as  quiet  as  possible,  communicating  with  no  one  here 
except  Miss  De  Lacy." 

A  messenger  was  sent  for  the  principal,  who  met  the  officer 
in  her  private  parlor,  when  the  situation  was  explained  to  her. 
This  most  estimable  lady  was  sorely  stricken  at  the  develop- 
ments, and  wept  bitterly  over  the  defection  of  her  favorite 
pupil.  Bewildered  at  the  painful  perplexities  of  the  situation, 
she  knew  not  what  to  say  or  do,  till  the  detective  came  to  her 
rescue.  With  the  view  of  giving  direction  to  the  current  of 
affairs,  he  said,  "  It  will  not  answer  to  allow  this  young  lady 
to  remain  here,  nor,  on  the  other  hand,  must  she  be  sent  away 
immediately.  On  the  plea  of  illness,  certainly  justifiable  in 
her  present  condition,  she  can  be  transferred  to  your  room, 
and  there  maintain  the  seclusion  so  essential  to  her  comfort 
and  recovery.  Her  father  must  be  telegraphed  for  at  once, 
and  to  him  you  must  break  the  sad  intelligence.  Since  this 
misguided  girl  was  authorized  to  receive  your  mails  from  the 
post-office,  I  cannot,  as  an  agent  of  the  department,  take  meas- 
ures to  arrest  her,  a  move  which  I  should  be  very  loth  to  make, 


POINTING    OUT    THE    WAY.  35! 

even  if  it  fell  within  my  province,  as  the  protection  of  the  pos- 
tal laws  ceases  when  letters  pass  from  the  custody  of  sworn 
employes  into  the  hands  of  the  owners  or  their  agents.  She 
is,  however,  unquestionably  amenable  to  punishment  under  the 
laws  of  the  state ;  and  from  this  you  may  save  her. 

"  On  the  table  in  her  room  are  all  the  violated  letters,  with 
the  contents,  as  I  judge,  intact.  She  did  not  break  the  seals 
to  appropriate  the  inclosures,  but  from  a  morbid  curiosity  to 
pry  into  the  affairs  of  her  associates.  After  the  final  departure 
of  Miss  Norman,  these  missives  must  all  be  delivered  to  the 
proper  owners,  and  you  can  exercise  your  pleasure  in  assigning 
reasons  for  the  delay  and  mutilation. 

"  The  postmaster  here,  who  is  directly  concerned  in  the 
investigation,  must  also  be  informed  of  the  crime,  which  I  will 
attend  to  personally ;  and,  knowing  him  as  I  do,  I  can  vouch 
for  his  discretion. 

w  I  need  not  assure  you  that  I  feel  very  sorry  for  Miss  Nor- 
man, and  desire  to  spare  her  all  unnecessary  pain  and  mortifi- 
cation. To  your  hands  I  commit  her  case,  feeling  that  in  her 
beloved  teacher  she  will  find  her  most  effective  advocate. 

"  Guilty  as  the  girl  is,  she  has  not  passed  the  pale  of  salva- 
tion. Much  depends  on  the  conduct  of  her  father.  The 
keenness  of  the  disgrace  may  render  him  at  first  violent  and 
abusive.  You  must  intercede  with  him.  Urge  him  by  the 
memories  of  the  past  and  the  hopes  of  the  future  to  speak 
gently  to  the  erring,  to  win  back  by  kindness  and  love  the 
wanderer  to  the  fold.  If  I,  commissioned  to  bring  law-break- 
ers to  punishment,  can  pity  and  forgive  this  thoughtless  child, 
how  much  more  should  the  author  of  her  life  I " 

Miss  De  Lacy  could  hardly  find  language  in  which  to  suita- 
bly clothe  her  thanks  to  the  detective  for  the  tender  and  delicate 
manner  in  which  he  had  conducted  the  investigation,  and  for 
his  kindness  to  the  unhappy  girl.  She  promised  to  follow  out 
his  suggestions  in  regard  to  future  movements. 

They  then  returned  together  to  the  room  of  Miss  Norman. 
As  the  teacher  entered  the  door,  the  scholar,  covering  her  face 


352 


LOST    AND    SAVED. 


with  her  hands  as  if  ashamed 
to  be  seen,  sobbed  hysterically. 
The    sight   overpowered    Miss 
De  Lacy  in  an  instant.     Rush- 
ing forward,   she   clasped   the 
broken  reed  in  her  arms,  ex- 
claiming, w  Edna,  dear  Edna,  I 
know   all,  but  I    forgive   all ! 
Dry  your  tears,  my  dear  child. 
No      harm     shall 
come  near  you,  if 
I     can      prevent. 
This  kind  gentle- 
man    more     than 
tempers        justice 
with     mercy,     for 
his  whole    aim  is 
to  save  you  from 
troubles  that  might 
have  come,  and  to 
promote  the  return 
of  peace." 

"What  shall  I 
do?  What  can  I 
do  ?"  exclaimed  the 
excited  creature, 
hiding  her  face  on 
the  bosom  of  the 
teacher.  "  How 
can  I  dare  ever 
look  in  your  face 
again  ?  " 

"Edna,"  replied 

«  Bushing  forward,  she  clasped  the  broken  reed  in  her    tne  Jady  ?  «  for  what 


arms,  exclaiming, '  Edna,  dear  Edna,  I  know  all,  but 
I  forgive  all!'" 


you  have  done  you 


FORGIVENESS.  .  353 

have  suffered  severely,  and  I  think  sufficiently.  We  will  let 
the  past  bury  its  dead;  and,  looking  to  our  merciful  Father 
above  for  strength,  let  us  pray  that  the  experience  of  this  dark 
hour  may  lead  my  poor  erring  child  to  the  arms  of  her  God. 
We  have  present  duties  to  perform,  and  will  begin  now.  This 
gentleman  has  marked  out  a  course  which  meets  my  hearty 
approval. 

"  Some  of  the  scholars  suspect  that  something  unpleasant 
has  happened  to  you,  but  they  have  not  the  remotest  conception 
of  what  it  is.  I  want  you  to  bring  these  letters  —  all  you  have 
ever  taken  —  to  my  room,  where  you  can  remain  for  the  pres- 
ent undisturbed.  I  shall  telegraph  for  your  father  at  once,  and 
on  his  arrival  he  will  take  such  steps  for  the  future  as  he  may 
think  best." 

The  last  announcement  revived  in  full  force  the  paroxysm 
of  grief.  The  anguish  of  the  child  at  the  thought  of  meeting 
the  parent  upon  whom  she  had  brought  such  deep  disgrace 
drove  her  to  the  verge  of  distraction.  After  the  first  outburst 
of  tears,  her  lips  closed  rigidly,  and  her  eyes  became  set  with 
a  stony  stare,  as  if  reason  had  fled.  At  the  suggestion  of  the 
officer  she  was  conducted  to  the  room  of  Miss  De  Lacy,  where 
some  cordial  was  administered  with  reviving  effect.  In  a  few 
moments  she  grew  calm  again. 

Having  accomplished  his  mission,  the  detective  took  his  de^ 
parture.  Passing  in  safety  several  batteries  of  curious  eyes, 
he  merged  into  the  open  air,  and  soon  left  the  academic  shades 
of  Cheltham  far  behind. 

As  was  afterwards  learned,  the  father  of  Miss  Norman  hur- 
ried to  Cheltham  in  response  to  the  telegram,  and  on  hearing 
the  cause  of  the  summons  was  at  first  so  overwhelmed  with 
astonishment  and  indignation  that  he  refused  to  see  his  child. 
Again,  however,  Miss  De  Lacy  proved  so  effective  an  advocate 
that  the  sterner  feelings  of  the  parent  relented ;  and  in  the 
natural  sequence  of  the  emotions,  pity  succeeded  wrath.  Once 
more  the  trembling  girl  was  folded  in  his  arms,  fully  forgiven 
and  restored. 

23 


354  LOST   AND    SAVED. 

A  few  years  pass.  The  errant  school-girl  has  become  wife 
and  mother,  the  light  of  a  happy  home,  the  pride  of  a  husband 
noted  in  his  native  city  not  more  for  wealth  and  enterprise  than 
for  sterling  worth.  Next  to  the  duties  to  her  family,  she  takes 
most  delight  in  ministering  to  the  sick  and  needy,  and  in  trying 
to  reclaim  the  erring.  Quiet,  thoughtful,  earnest,  her  steps 
have  brought  comfort  and  peace  to  many  sad  households. 


*w^. 

'.<','>'.>•. 


>m^-~^ 
12-ssss 


MR.MAHO 


HERE  is  a  class  of  post- 
office  thieves  who  make 
a  specialty  of  rifling  the 
registered  letters  that  pass 
through  their  hands  in  tran- 
sit on  journeys  of  greater 
or  less  length.  Some  of 
them  have  managed  opera- 
tions very  shrewdly,  in  the 
evident  belief  that  they  had 
discovered  an  infallible 
method  for  doing  the  work 
and  at  the  same  time  es- 
caping detection.  Too  late 
they  generally  learn  by  sad 
experience  that  no  patents 
can  be  taken  out  for  the 
protection  of  crime. 

In  this  class  of  cases 
something  tangible  always 
remains  to  exhibit  the  peculiar  style  of  workmanship  belonging 
to  each ;  and  it  would  often  surprise  the  uninitiated  to  learn 
how  many  traits  of  character,  what  indexes  of  habit  and  voca- 
tion, can  be  picked  up  by  careful  study  of  the  minute  points 


A   TELL-TALE    SEAL. 

presented  for  inspection.  Unless,  however,  an  agent  cultivates 
a  taste  for  thoroughness  .even  to  details  and  trifles  that  might 
at  first  view  appear  utterly  insignificant,  he  will  never  succeed 
in  interpreting  the  hieroglyphics. 

At  intervals  of  two  or  three  weeks,  beginning  in  the  summer 
of  1871,  registered  packages  passing  to  and  fro  from  Chicago  to 
a  town  in  the  interior  of  Dakota  Territory,  which  for  conven- 
ience will  be  called  Wellington, —  though  that  was  not  its 
name,  —  were  reported  to  the  department  as  rifled.  As  the 
season  wore  on,  the  complaints  increased  in  frequency.  Under 
the  old  method  of  doing  business  at  head-quarters,  which  often 
amounted  practically  to  a  distribution  of  the  cases  about  equally 
"among  the  boys,"  the  agent  stationed  at  Chicago  received 
most  of  them  at  first ;  then  a  part  were  sent  to  an  agent  in 
Iowa ;  and  as  the  number  multiplied,  Furay,  at  Omaha,  was 
favored  with  an  occasional  sprinkling.  Under  the  present 
more  perfect  system,  great  care  is  taken  to  group  together  all 
the  complaints  growing  out  of  each  series  of  depredations,  to 
locate  the  seat  of  trouble  by  comparisons  carefully  made  in  the 
department  itself,  and  to  give  everything  bearing  on  the  subject 
to  the  officer  specifically  charged  with  the  investigation. 

March  came  around  before  Mr.  Furay  found  time  to  give 
personal  attention  to  this  particular  thief.  He  then  passed 
over  the  route  to  Wellington,  eighty  miles  by  stage-coach  from 
the  nearest  railroad  station,  with  ten  intermediate  offices.  All 
the  packages  remained  over  night  at  Sioux  City,  Iowa,  a  fact 
sufficiently  important  to  invite  close  scrutiny ;  but  the  detective 
soon  became  satisfied  that  he  must  look  elsewhere  for  the  rob- 
ber. His  suspicions  were  next  directed  to  another  office,  where 
also  the  mails  lay  over  night ;  but  the  postmaster  bore  a  coun- 
tenance so  open  and  honest  that  he  too  was  eliminated  from 
the  problem. 

He  continued  on  to  Wellington,  skirmishing  along  the  line, 
and  observing  the  faces  of  the  postmasters  ;  but  these  studies  in 
physiognomy  threw  no  light  on  the  mystery,  as  the  officials  of 
the  department  on  the  route,  though  far  removed  from  central 


A   FRUITLESS    TRIP.  357 

supervision,  seemed  to  be  all  that  their  affectionate  uncle  at 
Washington  could  wish.  On  the  return  trip  the  detective  was 
equally  observant  and  equally  perplexed.  At  that  season  the 
stage  stopped  for  the  night  at  Hannibal ;  but  there,  likewise, 
the  postmaster  shared  the  honest  looks  that  seemed  to  prevail 
through  eastern  Dakota. 

Proceeding  on,  the  passengers  dined  at  Raven's  Nest,  where 
one  Michael  Mahoney,  Sr.,  kept  a  small  store  and  the  post- 
office,  running  also  —  with  the  aid  of  a  young  son  and  a  son- 
in-law —  a  farm.  The  store  was  managed  by  Michael 
Mahoney,  Jr.,  a  married  son,  who  happened  to  be  absent  both 
when  the  special  agent  went  up  and  when  he  returned.  The 
face  of  the  old  man  indicated  that  he  was  vicious,  ignorant, 
and  unscrupulous ;  but  clearly  he  was  not  sharp  enough  to 
execute  nice  work  like  that  under  investigation. 

With  the  exception  of  a  general  knowledge  of  the  offices, 
the  special  agent  returned  but  little  wiser  for  the  trip,  and 
concluded,  as  the  best  that  could  be  done  under  the  circum- 
stances, to  allow  the  bird  to  flutter  a  little  longer  before  renew- 
ing the  hunt.  Meanwhile  the  thief  grew  more  reckless,  and 
the  papers  that  came  to  Mr.  Furay,  though  covering  a  fraction 
only  of  the  depredations,  located  the  thief  on  the  lower  end 
of  the  route,  within  fifty  miles  of  the  terminus. 

During  the  summer,  one  or  two  other  agents  took  up  the 
matter  cursorily,  but  made  no  discoveries.  In  the  mean  time 
Mr.  Furay  was  kept  too  busily  occupied  with  a  succession  of 
important  cases  in  Nebraska  to  give  much  thought  to  the 
outlying  territory  of  Dakota.  At  length,  in  September,  he 
went  carefully  over  the  papers  that  had  accumulated  during 
his  late  prolonged  absences,  and  soon  knew  exactly  where  to 
look  for  the  chap  who  had  so  long  plundered  the  public  with 
impunity. 

For  some  time  Chicago  had  been  closing  registered  package 
envelopes  with  wax,  which,  on  this  route  at  least,  effectually 
secured  them  against  molestation.  Imitating  the  example, 
Camden,  Dakota,  began  to  do  the  same;  but,  having  no  seal 


35^  A    TELL-TALE    SEAL. 

suitable  for  the  purpose,  improvised  a  substitute  by  using  the 
flat  surface  of  a  rasp. 

Camden  placed  the  wax  near  each  end  of  the  envelope, 
which  materially  interfered  with  the  game  of  the  thief,  because 
it  was  just  here  that  he  operated.  Evidently  piqued  that  a 
rural  postmaster  should  presume  to  outwit  him,  he  studied 
hard  to  devise  some  means  for  opening  these  particular  pack- 
ages without  leaving  such  traces  of  his  handiwork  as  would 
attract  the  notice  of  other  officials  through  whose  hands  they 
might  subsequently  pass.  The  effort  was  crowned  with  a 
measurable  degree  of  success,  for  Mr.  Furay,  at  the  general 
overhauling  referred  to,  was  the  first  to  discover  that  the  seal 
had  been  tampered  with. 

As  it  was  necessary  to  break  one  of  the  seals,  the  object  of 
the  robber  was  to  restore  it  as  nearly  as  possible  to  its  original 
appearance;  and  to  effect  this  he  used  a  dampened  thimble, 
rolling  it  over  the  wax  while  the  latter  was  hot.  There  was 
but  one  envelope  of  the  kind  in  the  lot,  but  it  told  the  whole 
story  to  the  eye  that  could  penetrate  its  meaning.  As  the 
thimble  passed  along  the  edge,  it  left  the  mark  of  the  rim, 
then  a  smooth  narrow  band,  followed  by  pointed  — 
elevations  closely  resembling  continuous  lines,  thus  :  • 

On  the  opposite  side  of  the  same  seal  the  wax  flattened  out  so 
as  to  cover  a  good  deal  of  surface ;  and,  to  give  it  the  desired 
appearance,  the  manipulator  resorted  to  the  thimble  again,  but 
this  time  used  a  different  one,  the  indentations  on  the  surface 
being  perceptibly  finer  and  more  shallow. 

The  violation  of  that  single  seal  betrayed  the  thief,  for  the 
detective  at  once  inferred  that  the  job  was  done  in  a  store 
where  the  operator  had  access  to  a  variety  of  thimbles.  Only 
one  was  required ;  and  no  person  but  a  merchant  would  be 
likely  to  have  more  than  one  within  convenient  reach.  In  a 
store,  however,  it  would  be  natural  to  take  down  a  boxful,  and 
place  it  on  the  counter,  to  be  selected  from  at  random.  One 
is  picked  up,  used,  and  thrown  back.  The  operator  now  finds 
another  spot  that  requires  attention,  and  without  waiting  to 


THE    KEY    FOUND. 


359 


hunt  for  the  thimble  that  has  already  served  as  a  seal, — for 
the  wax  is  cooling  and  no  time  must  be  lost,  —  grasps  the  first 
that  comes  to  hand,  too  absorbed  in  the  main  issue  to  give  a 

thought  to  what 
would  pass  as 
an  insignificant 
subsidiary  trifle. 
No  rascal  is 
sharp  enough 
to  guard  every 
point,  a  general 
fact  that  illus- 
trates over  and 
over  again,  in 
the  experience  of 
man,  the  seminal 
truth,  that  in  a 
mercenary  and 
physical,  as  well 
as  in  a  high  and 
spiritual  sense, 
there  is  neither 
wisdom  nor  prof- 
it outside  of  the 
limits  of  absolute 
integrity  and  unflinching  uprightness. 

The  detective  laid  aside  the  papers 
with  a  light  heart,  knowing  that  at  last 
he  was  complete  master  of  the  situation. 
Below  Camden  on  the  infested  route  the 
post-office  was  kept  in  a  store  at  two 


Mr.  Mahoney,  Jr. 


points  only,  and  in  one  of  those  no  thimbles  were  sold.  The 
clue  pointed  unerringly  to  Raven's  Nest  as  the  spot  where 
alone  the  requisite  conditions  to  account  for  the  imprint  on  the 
violated  seal  were  to  be  found.  Thither  the  officer  accordingly 
went ;  and  the  moment  his  eye  rested  on  Michael  Mahoney,  Jr., 
he  recognized  the  heaven-branded  features  of  a  thief. 


360  A    TELL-TALE    SEAL. 

Returning  to  Sioux  City,  he  telegraphed  to  another  agent 
who  had  a  large  number  of  the  cases  growing  out  of  the  rob- 
beries, to  come  on  at  once.  The  two  men  took  stations,  one 
on  each  side  of  Raven's  Nest,  and  in  thirty  hours  they  arrested 
the  youthful  criminal,  who  in  the  interval  stole  four  decoy-let- 
ters, and  paid  a  portion  of  the  contents  to  one  of  the  officers 
who  was  testing  him. 

Mr.  Furay  collected  from  the  thief  and  his  relatives  the  full 
amount  stolen  from  the  mails  during  the  entire  continuance  of 
the  depredations,  restoring  the  money  to  the  rightful  owners 
dollar  for  dollar.  Young  Mahoney  made  a  written  confession, 
supplemented  by  three  or  four  codicils  relating  to  items  which, 
to  use  his  own  language,  "  at  first  did  not  to  me  occur."  He 
was  tried  the  following  February,  and  sentenced  to  the  peni- 
tentiary for  the  term  of  three  years. 

Within  fifteen  days  from  the  time  when  the  doors  of  the 
prison  closed  upon  the  son,  the  villanous  old  father,  acting 
perhaps  on  the  theory  that  no  two  shots  ever  strike  in  exactly 
the  same  place,  began  also  to  rob  the  mails.  In  due  time, 
Mr.  Furay  again  appeared  on  the  scene  and  took  the  old  rep- 
robate away  a  prisoner.  When  the  trial  came  on,  a  material 
witness  for  the  prosecution  happened  to  be  absent,  the  lack  of 
whose  testimony  proved  fatal  to  the  case,  for,  after  hanging  a 
day  and  a  night,  the  jury  brought  in  a  verdict  of  acquittal. 


[ANY  misguided  men  expend 
in  contriving  devices  for  de- 
frauding the  public,  sufficient 
labor  and  ingenuity  to  win  an 
honorable  support,  or  often  af- 
fluence, if  directed  to  proper 
ends.  For  the  most  part  the 
returns  are  irregular  and  pre- 
carious, while  every  step  for- 
ward increases  the  perils  that 
beset  the  path  of  the  operator. 
Comfort  and  peace  are  forgot- 
ten in  the  wild  whirl  that  hur- 
ries him  on  to  new  fields 
and  fresh  ventures.  However 
smoothly  the  stream  may  glide 
at  the  outset,  it  rushes  onward 
resistlessly  to  the  rocks  and 
rapids  that  no  mortal  can  pass 
in  safety.  Incredible  as  it  may 
seem  that  rational  beings  should  voluntarily  renounce  the  sym- 
pathies of  the  good,  to  enter  upon  a  reckless  crusade  against 
society,  not  a  few  even  of  the  highly  gifted,  driven  on  by  some 
strangely  perverse  influence,  have  deliberately  entered  the 
ways  of  crime  only  to  encounter  the  inevitable  penalties  of 


362  TAKING    IN    STRANGERS. 

disappointment,  disgrace,  and  ruin.  Life  is  passed  in  a  perpet- 
ual but  vain  struggle  to  escape  the  necessary  consequences  of 
evil  actions. 

"  Suspicion  always  haunts  the  guilty  mind. 
The  thief  doth  fear  each  bush  an  officer." 

Even  the  dread  walls  of  the  prison  have  in  some  cases  been 
welcomed  as  preferable  to  the  tortures  of  uncertainty. 

On  the  i6th  of  June,  1874,  Isaac  Myers,  special  agent  of  the 
post-office  department,  happened  to  be  in  Washington,  Wash- 
ington County,  Pennsylvania,  on  official  business,  when  his 
attention  was  called  to  a  communication  just  received  from  Mrs. 
Mary  A.  Whetham,  Kirklington  Hall,  Southwell,  Notts,  Eng- 
land, dated  June  3,  and  inclosing  two  letters  addressed  to  her- 
self, and  purporting  to  have  been  written  by  M  Winter  Ham- 
ilton, M.  D."  The  first  was  dated  Canal  Fulton,  Ohio, 
February  18, 1874,  and  gave  what  was  intended  to  be  a  roman- 
tic and  touching  account  of  the  death  of  a  distant  relative  of 
hers,  Edmund  Whetham,  whom,  though  a  stranger,  the  benev- 
olent doctor  took  to  his  home  and  tenderly  nursed  during  his 
last  sickness.  On  learning  that  his  hours  were  numbered,  the 
young  Englishman  called  for  a  lawyer  and  made  his  will, 
bequeathing  to  Mrs.  Whetham  two  thousand  acres  of  land  in 
Texas  on  condition  that  she  paid  the  bill  of  Dr.  Hamilton,  other- 
wise the  estate  was  to  go  to  him.  He  forwards  an  account  of 
two  hundred  dollars,  or  forty  pounds,  for  medical  attendance, 
board,  and  funeral  expenses.  He  also  suggests  that  if  she  will 
accompany  her  draft  with  a  promise  to  repay  any  outlay  he 
may  incur,  he  will  send  an  agent  to  Texas  to  examine  the 
lands.  The  cost  will  not  exceed  twenty-five  pounds,  and  may 
put  her  in  possession  of  an  immense  fortune.  The  letter  closes 
with  a  pious  appeal  to  the  heart  and  pocket  of  his  correspond- 
ent. "  I  feel  that  I  did  my  duty  to  your  friend ;  I  have  now 
done  my  duty  to  you.  I  shall  feel  obliged  at  receiving  your 
decision  at  your  very  earliest  convenience." 

May  18,  1874,  "Winter  Hamilton,  M.  D.,"  addresses  a  sec- 
ond letter  to  Mrs.  Whetham,  having  meanwhile  transferred  his 


A    PRUDENT    LADY.  363 

residence  from  Canal  Fulton,  Ohio,  to  Washington,  Pennsyl- 
vania. After  a  brief  reference  to  his  former  communication, 
he  writes  that  a  foreign  letter  having  been  forwarded  inadver- 
tently from  his  late  home  to  the  dead-letter  office,  he  infers  it 
must  have  been  from  her,  as  he  has  no  other  correspondent 
abroad,  and  inquires  whether  she  has  decided  to  accept  the 
legacy.  This  caution  is  added  by  way  of  postscript:  "Copy 
my  address  very  carefully,  we  have  so  many  Washingtons  in 
America." 

Mrs.  Whetham  took  no  notice  of  the  first  effusion,  though 
satisfied  that  the  writer  was  trying  to  obtain  money  under  false 
pretenses.  On  receipt  of  the  second,  she  felt  it  to  be  a  duty 
to  others,  less  wary  than  herself,  to  communicate  the  facts  to 
the  authorities,  in  order  that  steps  might  be  taken  to  punish  the 
swindler.  She  accordingly  inclosed  both  to  the  "  superin- 
tendent of  police,  Washington,  Washington  County,  Pennsyl- 
vania," with  the  information  that  she  had  no  such  relative  as  the 
person  described  by  Dr.  Hamilton.  She  further  explained 
that  the  Rev.  F.  Mills,  to  whose  care  the  letters  were  ad- 
dressed, was  rector  at  Hocherton,  two  miles  distant,  and  that 
she  was  patron  of  the  living.  Hence  she  inferred  that  the 
doctor  had  studied  a  "clergy  list"  of  England,  which  gives 
an  account  of  all  livings  with  their  patrons.  She  informs  the 
"  superintendent  of  police "  that  the  letters  are  forwarded  to 
him  for  the  public  benefit,  remarking,  with  the  prudence  char- 
acteristic of  the  woman  of  business,  that  she  will  hold  herself 
"in  no  way  responsible  for  any  steps  taken." 

As  "Winter  Hamilton,  M.  D.,"  was  clearly  using  the  mails 
for  purposes  of  fraud  in  violation  of  section  three  hundred  and 
one  of  the  code,  Mr.  Myers  determined  to  hunt  down  the  rascal. 
He  examined  the  registers  of  hotels  and  boarding-houses, 
going  back  over  a  long  period,  without  finding  the  name.  No 
one  could  remember  such  an  individual.  If  he  ever  lived  at 
Washington,  he  left  on  disappearing  no  trace  of  his  existence 
or  identity. 

Not  to  be  bluffed  in  the  chase  by  the  faintness  of  the  trail, 


364  TAKING    IN    STRANGERS. 

Mr.  Myers  proceeded  to  Canal  Fulton,  Stark  County,  Ohio, 
whence  the  letters  to  Mr.  Whetham  were  addressed.  The 
postmaster  at  that  place  only  knew  that  a  person  calling  him- 
self Winter  Hamilton  came  to  the  office  once  in  the  fall  of 
1873,  and  took  a  number  of  letters  bearing  that  superscription. 
The  stranger  vanished  as  suddenly  as  he  appeared.  Sub- 
sequently he  requested  the  postmaster  to  forward  his  mail  to 
Washington  and  Uniontown,  Pennsylvania,  but  for  several 
months  none  had  been  received.  Beginning  the  game  cau- 
tiously, the  doctor  evidently  selected  an  office  where  he  was 
unknown  and  where  he  intended  never  to  be  known,  visiting 
the  place  but  once  after  sending  abroad  the  first  installment 
of  his  wares.  Nothing  further  could  be  learned  at  Canal 
Fulton. 

Mr.  Myers  returned  to  Pennsylvania,  visiting  Washington 
and  Uniontown  in  search  of  additional  evidence.  Quite  a 
large  foreign  mail  came  to  both  offices,  but  in  the  multiplicity 
of  names,  neither  postmaster  recollected  that  of  Winter  Hamil- 
ton. Mr.  Myers  requested  them,  in  case  any  letters  for  that 
address  should  be  received  in  the  future,  to  take  particular 
notice  of  the  party  who  called  for  them,  and  also  to  notify  him 
by  telegraph. 

For  several  months  the  pursuit  was  suspended,  the  tracks 
of  the  swindler  being  rather  obscure  and  other  work  engrossing 
the  attention  of  the  agent.  Meanwhile,  some  one  of  the  nu- 
merous parties  in  England  who  had  been  favored  with  an 
effusion  from  the  eminent  philanthropist,  gave  a  r£sum£  of  the 
letter  to  the  press.  The  paragraph,  copied  into  American 
papers,  obtained  quite  an  extensive  circulation.  It  set  forth 
that  a  person  over  the  signature  of  "William  Parker,  M.  D.," 
was  writing  from  Washington,  Pennsylvania,  to  members  of 
parliament,  ministers  of  the  Church,  and  other  wealthy  and  be- 
nevolent people  in  England,  representing  that  certain  distant 
relatives  of  theirs,  clandestinely  in  the  United  States,  had  died 
at  his  house  in  indigent  circumstances,  leaving  an  abundance 
of  good  land  in  Texas,  but  no  ready  cash  to  meet  the  expenses 


HABITS    OF    THE    VULTURE.  365 

of  the  last  sickness  and  burial,  all  of  which  he  had  borne,  and 
for  which  he  desired  to  be  indemnified. 

As  the  literary  ventures  of  the  doctor  were  constructed  on 
a  single  model,  the  publication  was  likely  to  illuminate  nearly 
every  person  in  England  whose  sympathies  had  been  awak- 
ened by  the  sufferings  and  fate  of  the  erring  but  repentant 
scion  of  his  house,  and  to  interrupt  any  further  outflow  of 
pounds  sterling  that  might  be  prompted  by  gratitude  or  greed. 
An  equally  probable  result  of  the  exposure  would  be  the  hasty 
flight  of  the  operator  from  the  locality  connected  in  the  papers 
with  his  fame.  Living  for  the  most  part  on  the  wing,  such 
birds  scent  danger  from  afar,  soaring  away  with  a  change  of 
plumage  at  the  first  note  of  alarm.  Lost  to  sight  in  the  blue 
empyrean,  they  drop  down  at  length  on  some  distant  shore,  so 
metamorphosed  that  none  but  an  experienced  hunter  would 
recognize  the  quality  of  the  game. 

Mr.  Myers,  meeting  the  newspaper  paragraph  referred  to, 
and  not  forgetful  of  our  old  acquaintance,  "Winter  Hamilton, 
M.  D.,"  revisited  Washington,  Pennsylvania,  toward  the  close 
of  October,  to  renew  the  search.  He  learned  that  a  Dr.  Parker 
had  resided  there  during  the  previous  May  and  June.  The 
gentleman  bore  an  excellent  reputation,  was  welcomed  in  the 
best  society,  and  was  supposed  to  be  an  Englishman  of  de- 
cayed fortunes,  seeking  to  bury  among  strangers  the  memory 
of  his  griefs.  The  more  impressible  were  attracted  by  the 
mystery,  heightened  by  the  air  of  reserved  and  gentle  melan- 
choly, that  distinguished  him  from  the  coarser  grain  of  the 
common  herd.  He  taught  a  novel  method  of  short-hand  writ- 
ing, both  as  a  pastime  and  a  means  of  livelihood,  so  favorably 
impressing  the  public  during  his  brief  sojourn  that  he  carried 
away  recommendations  from  the  leading  citizens  of  the  place. 

After  leaving  Washington,  the  "doctor"  resided  at  Union- 
town,  Pennsylvania,  about  three  months,  receiving  many  letters 
from  England  addressed  to  William  Parker  and  Winter  Ham- 
ilton. Here,  also,  he  circulated  among  the  best  people,  and 
taught  short-hand.  It  was  not  his  policy,  however,  to  tarry 


366  TAKING    IN    STRANGERS. 

long  in  one  place,  and  so,  procuring  a  fresh  reinforcement  of 
recommendations,  he  removed  to  Connellsville,  Pennsylvania, 
where  he  played  the  same  role  which  had  carried  him  safely 
through  his  sojourn  at  Washington  and  Uniontown. 

Mr.  Myers  pushed  on  to  Connellsville  in  pursuit,  and  learned 
that  Parker,  evidently  alarmed  by  the  exposure  in  the  press, 
had  suddenly  decamped,  leaving  a  part  of  his  effects  at  the 
Yough  House.  The  agent  stopped  over  night  at  the  same 
hotel,  cautiously  trying  to  gather  tangible  proofs  of  the  guilt 
of  the  doctor,  but  that  worthy  had  taken  equal  precautions  to 
prevent  the  success  of  any  such  enterprise.  Long  experience 
in  eluding  the  winged  avengers  of  the  law  had  made  him  care- 
ful in  covering  his  tracks.  Probably  he  never  carried  longer 
than  was  absolutely  necessary  any  papers  that  might  compro- 
mise his  safety.  There  was  a  chance  that  he  might  return,  or 
send  for  his  luggage.  In  either  event  his  capture  would  easily 
follow. 

Mr.  Myers  left  the  next  day,  having  arranged  with  the 
postmaster  to  notify  him  by  telegraph  if  Parker  returned,  or  if 
further  letters  for  him  came.  The  interval  of  delay  was  brief. 
October  25th  the  postmaster  telegraphed  that  Parker  was  at 
Connellsville,  and  asked  for  instructions.  He  was  directed  to 
keep  a  sharp  lookout  and  wait.  At  daylight,  the  morning  of 
the  26th,  Myers  turned  up  again  at  Connellsville,  repairing 
at  once  to  the  post-office  to  learn  the  posture  of  affairs.  In  the 
meantime  an  incident  had  occurred  which  might  have  resulted 
disastrously  had  the  pursuit  been  less  vigorously  pressed. 

On  the  loth  of  September  Parker  wrote  from  Connellsville 
to  the  Rev.  J.  E.  N.  Molesworth,  vicar  of  Rochdale,  Lanca- 
shire, the  stereotyped  story,  varied  only  with  a  change  of 
names,  that  two  months  before,  a  young  Englishman,  Edmund 
Molesworth,  had  arrived  at  that  place,  sick  and  friendless. 
The  quick  sympathies  of  the  doctor's  wife  were  enlisted  by  the 
helpless  condition  of  the  stranger,  and  she  proposed  to  have 
him  moved  to  their  own  house.  Since  then  she  had  watched 
over  him  with  the  tenderness  of  a  sister.  That  very  morning 


A   TEN    POUND    DRAFT.  367 

the  youth  handed  him  a  paper,  containing  the  address  of  a 
distant  relative  in  England,  with  a  request  that  he  be  written 
to  without  delay,  to  remit  enough  to  defray  the  expenses  of  the 
funeral,  as  he  could  die  easier  if  he  knew  he  was  not  to  be 
buried  by  the  hand  of  charity.  The  doctor  continues  :  "If  you 
see  fit  to  send  me  any  money  for  his  funeral,  you  can  do  so ; 
if  not,  I  shall  see  that  he  is  not  buried  by  the  town.  For  my 
own  and  my  wife's  services  he  is  heartily  welcome." 

In  response  to  the  appeal,  Dr.  Molesworth  purchased  a  draft 
for  ten  pounds,  and  mailed  it  to  Parker.  After  reflecting  a  day 
or  two,  however,  he  came  to  the  conclusion  that  he  was  the 
victim  of  a  swindle,  and  wrote  to  the  London  post-office  to 
have  the  letter  intercepted,  but  it  had  already  gone  forward. 
Accordingly,  the  Foreign  Office  addressed  the  following  note 
to  the  department  at  Washington  :  — 

"Registered  No.  138,775.  "  GENERAL  POST-OFFICE,  > 

LONDON,  October  8,  1874.  > 

"  SIR  :  I  have  the  honor  to  inform  you  that  a  letter  has  been  re- 
ceived from  Rev.  Dr.  Molesworth,  Vicar  of  Rochdale,  in  which  he 
requests  me  to  detain  a  letter,  addressed  to  '  Dr.  William  Parker,  Con- 
nellsville,  Fayette  County,  Pennsylvania,  N.  America/  and  containing 
a  bill  of  exchange  for  £10. 

44  Dr.  Molesworth  states  that  the  person  calling  himself  '  Dr.  Wil- 
liam Parker*  has  applied  to  him  for  pecuniary  aid ;  that  there  is  rea- 
son to  believe  that  he  has  done  so  under  false  pretenses. 

44 1  have  informed  Dr.  Molesworth  that  the  letter  was  dispatched 
from  Liverpool  to  New  York  on  the  ist  instant,  by  the  Inman  packet 
4  City  of  Paris,'  and  that  it  is,  therefore,  beyond  my  control,  but 
that  I  would  write  to  you  upon  the  subject. 

44 1  think  it  right  to  state  that,  had  the  letter  been  addressed  to  a 
place  in  this  country,  it  would  not  have  been  in  the  power  of  this 
department  to  withhold  it  from  delivery,  if  a  person  of  the  name  of 
Dr.  William  Parker  had  been  found  to  reside  at  the  address.  But 
you  will,  of  course,  act  in  the  matter  according  to  your  discretion  and 
to  the  regulations  of  your  department.  I  shall  be  glad  to  be  informed 
in  what  manner  the  letter  has,  in  the  result,  been  disposed  of. 

44 1  have  the  honor  to  be,  sir,  your  obedient  servant,        F.  HILL. 
"  The  Postmaster  General,  at  Washington,  U.  S." 


368 


TAKING    IN    STRANGERS, 


On  the  23d,  the  acting  superintendent  of  foreign  mails  at 
Washington  addressed  the  usual  circular  of  inquiry  to  the 
postmaster  at  Connellsville,  asking  what  disposition  had  been 
made  of  the  letter  in  question.  On  calling  at  the  office  the 
morning  of  the  25th,  Parker  received  three  foreign  letters, 
which  he  proceeded  to  open  before  leaving  the  vestibule. 


"  While  thus  engaged,  the  clerk  incautiously  informed  him  that 
he  had  an  inquiry  from  the  department." 

While  thus  engaged,  the  clerk  incautiously  informed  him  that 
he  had  an  inquiry  from  the  department  in  reference  to  a  British 
letter  forwarded  by  the  City  of  Paris  on  the  1st  inst.  to  his 
address  at  Connellsville,  and  asked  if  he  had  received  it. 


THE    TWO    DROMIOS.  369 

Parker  replied  in  the  negative,  and  immediately  gave  back 
the  three  letters  in  his  hand,  with  the  remark  that  they  were 
not  his.  He  turned  to  walk  away,  when  the  clerk  requested 
him  to  indorse  on  the  envelopes,  "  Opened  by  mistake,"  with 
his  signature;  and,  after  a  moment's  hesitation,  he  somewhat 
sullenly  complied.  The  return  of  the  letters  indicated  that  the 
doctor  was  thoroughly  alarmed.  Exposed  by  the  press  and 
interrogated  by  the  department,  he  needed  no  further  warning 
to  fly.  He  passed  an  uneasy  Sunday,  doubtless  resolved  to 
escape  by  the  first  available  train. 

Already,  however,  it  was  too  late,  for  the  impending  crash 
was  just  upon  him.  Mr.  Myers  proceeded  from  the  post- 
office  to  the  Yough  House.  In  a  few  minutes  the  bell  rang  for 
breakfast,  and  watching  the  opportunity,  he  followed  directly 
behind  Parker  into  the  dining-room,  and  took  a  contiguous 
seat  at  table.  Though  rather  nervous,  the  doctor  engaged 
moderately  in  conversation.  By  a  singular  confusion  of  facts 
and  fiction,  a  recent  cable  despatch  announced  the  arrest  in 
London,  a  few  days  before,  of  a  Dr.  William  Parker,  who 
had  been  extensively  engaged  in  swindling  operations  at  Con- 
nellsville,  Pennsylvania.  The  doctor  remarked  that  he  had 
read  the  item  with  great  satisfaction,  as  a  paragraph  had  been 
going  the  rounds  of  the  press  calculated,  from  the  identity  of 
names,  to  do  him  great  injustice  and  wrong,  but  that  the  arrest 
of  the  actual  swindler  could  not  fail  to  completely  vindicate 
him.  It  is  possible  that  the  despatch  was  concocted  as  a  blind 
by  a  confederate  of  Parker  in  England. 

Learning  that  Mr.  Myers  was  from  the  seat  of  government, 
the  doctor  became  quite  inquisitive  concerning  matters  at  the 
capital,  but  manifested  little  disposition  to  enlighten  his  inter- 
locutor in  reference  to  his  own  affairs,  parrying  with  the  skill 
of  an  adept  questions  designed  to  elicit  information  in  respect 
to  his  nativity,  antecedents,  and  business. 

After  fencing  for  about  an  hour  without  getting  much  nearer 
to  the  real  issue,  the  special  agent  suddenly  brought  things  to 
a  crisis  by  the  remark,  — 
24 


37° 


TAKING    IN    STRANGERS. 


"  Doctor,  you  have,  or  should  have  a  letter,  sent  you  by 
Dr.  Molesworth,  vicar  of  Rochdale,  containing  a  bill  of  ex- 
change for  ten  pounds  sterling.  I  have  been  sent  by  the  post- 
master-general of  the  United  States  to  get  that  letter ;  and 
you  will  please  give  it  to  me." 

The  doctor  trembled  violently,  almost  convulsively.  A  mo- 
mentary flush,  followed  by  deathly  paleness,  overspread  his 


«*  With  guilt  pictured  upon  every  lineament,  he  answered, '  I 
have  not  got  the  letter.' " 

features.     His  eyes  rolled  rapidly  and  uncontrollably.     With 
guilt  pictured  upon  every  lineament,  he  answered  in  a  faint 
and  quavering  voice, — 
"I  have  not  got  the  letter." 


"TALK  LOWER,  PLEASE."  371 

"I  can  prove,"  replied  the  agent,  "that  you  took  it  from 
the  post-office  here,  and  that  you  have  received,  besides,  a 
large  number  of  letters  from  different  persons  in  England. 
Your  little  game  has  lasted  well,  but  it  is  now  played  out." 

Rallying  under  the  home  thrust,  and  recovering  in  a  meas- 
ure his  wonted  composure,  the  doctor  proceeded  to  expostu- 
late. 

"  There  is  either  a  big  mistake  here,  or  you  are  trying  to 
put  up  a  job  on  me.  My  only  correspondent  in  England  is 
my  son.  The  letters  taken  from  the  office  were  written  by 
him.  The  suspicions  unjustly  directed  against  me  are  due  to 
no  fault  of  mine,  but  to  the  actions,  whatever  they  may  be, 
of  the  Dr.  Parker  lately  arrested  in  London.  It  is  a  gross 
outrage  to  make  one  man  suffer  for  the  sins  of  another." 

The  agent  suggested  interrogatively,  — 

"Perhaps,  if  so  disposed,  you  could  explain  that  despatch. 
You  may  have  a  friend  in  England  who,  at  your  instance, 
would  not  scruple  to  give  misleading  information  to  the  press 
for  the  purpose  of  helping  to  cover  your  tracks.  The  little 
trick  —  very  good  in  its  way  —  will  not  pass  current  here. 
You  are  under  arrest,  doctor,  and  will  have  to  leave  at  one 
o'clock  for  Pittsburgh.  Have  you  any  preparations  to  make 
for  the  journey?" 

"  Don't  talk  so  loud ;  talk  lower,  please,"  implored  Parker. 
"  Half  the  town  will  be  gazing  at  us.  Let  us  go  up  stairs  to 
my  room,  where  we  can  arrange  matters  quietly." 

He  led  the  way,  and  the  officer  followed,  slipping  a  revolver 
into  a  convenient  pocket,  to  be  in  readiness  in  case  the  doctor 
should  make  any  aggressive  demonstration.  As  they  passed 
in,  Parker  locked  the  door.  Both  took  seats,  and  the  colloquy 
was  resumed. 

"Permit  me  to  inquire  on  what  charge  I  am  arrested." 

"You  are  arrested,  sir,  for  using  the  United  States  mails  for 
the  purpose  of  swindling  certain  persons  in  England." 

"  Have  you  a  warrant?" 

"No.     But  if  it  will  be  any  accommodation  to  you,  or  serve 


372  TAKING    IN    STRANGERS. 

to  relieve  your  feelings,  I  will  step  out  and  procure  one.  I 
consider  my  commission  from  the  postmaster-general  sufficient 
authority." 

"  Have  you  any  objections  to  exhibiting  your  commission  ?" 

"Not  the  least,"  replied  the  agent,  handing  him  the  docu- 
ment, which,  after  an  attentive  perusal,  he  returned,  remarking 
that  he  did  not  wish  to  create  excitement,  and  so  would 
go  along  quietly,  especially  as  he  was  sure  he  could  es- 
tablish his  innocence,  and  return  by  the  next  train  to  Con- 
nellsville. 

The  doctor  then  diverted  the  conversation  into  a  new  chan- 
nel, showing  remarkable  familiarity  with  the  detective  systems 
of  both  England  and  America.  He  had  carefully  studied  the 
subject  in  its  wide  ramifications,  his  perceptions  being  no  doubt 
quickened  by  repeated  encounters  with  officers  of  justice  dur- 
ing the  vicissitudes  of  his  checkered  career.  On  the  sympathy 
supposed  to  exist  between  detectives  and  prisoners  he  dwelt 
with  particular  emphasis,  citing  instances  to  show  where  they 
had  accepted  an  w  honorable  consideration  "  "  to  let  up  "  on  the 
unfortunate.  Finding  himself,  however,  in  the  hands  of  an 
officer  impervious  to  hints  and  insensible  to  pathos,  he  prepared 
to  submit  with  apparent  grace  to  the  inevitable,  asking  the 
agent,  as  a  special  favor,  not  to  follow  him  so  closely  as  to 
excite  suspicion,  and  promising  to  make  no  attempt  to  escape. 
In  return,  he  was  allowed  as  full  a  measure  of  freedom  as  was 
consistent  with  security,  and  with  that  scrutiny  of  his  move- 
ments which  was  needed  to  prevent  the  possible  destruction 
of  papers  or  other  evidence. 

Among  other  final  preparations  for  departure,  he  wrote  a 
letter  to  his  wife  in  Chicago,  and  deposited  it  in  the  office. 
That  no  opportunity  might  be  lost  for  picking  up  evidence 
which  might  prove  useful  at  the  trial,  Mr.  Myers  quietly  in- 
closed the  communication  in  a  second  envelope,  directed  to 
the  special  agent  located  at  Chicago,  requesting  him  to  deliver 
it  to  Mrs.  Parker  in  person,  and,  if  possible,  to  recover  the 
douceur  after  she  had  enjoyed  the  perusal,  the  object  being  to 


THE    COMMITMENT.  373 

secure  an  authentic  specimen  of  his  handwriting.  The  strat- 
agem was  skillfully  executed,  the  letter  coming  back  in  a  few 
days  to  be  added  to  other  papers  in  the  case. 

The  special  agent,  accompanied  by  the  postmaster  at  Con- 
nellsville  and  the  prisoner,  took  the  first  train  for  Pittsburgh, 
meanwhile  telegraphing  United  States  Commissioner  McCand- 
less  to  await  their  arrival.  After  a  brief  statement  of  the  lead- 
ing facts  of  the  case,  Parker,  in  default  of  two  thousand  dollars 
bail,  was  committed  for  a  further  hearing  on  November  loth. 
On  arriving  at  the  jail,  the  United  States  marshal  searched 
his  person,  finding  a  diamond  ring,  a  new  revolver,  a  gold 
watch,  and  sixty  dollars  in  currency,  but  no  papers. 

While  the  moral  evidence  of  Parker's  guilt  was  so  over- 
whelming as  to  leave  no  shadow  of  doubt  in  the  mind  of  any 
one  conversant  with  the  facts  already  developed,  the  legal 
proof  required  in  a  court  of  law  was  still  sadly  incomplete. 
The  government  had  possession  of  the  letters  written  to  Mrs. 
Whetham,  and  of  the  envelopes  delivered  to  the  doctor  at 
Connellsville  on  the  25th  of  October,  and  immediately  returned 
with  the  indorsement,  "Opened  by  mistake.  Wm.  Parker." 
These  constituted  the  sum  total  of  the  admissible  bits  of  evi- 
dence thus  far  secured ;  and  they  would  not  withstand  for  ten 
minutes  the  onslaught  of  a  skillful  criminal  lawyer.  As  yet 
there  was  no  link  to  identify  either  of  the  letters  received  at 
Connellsville  with  the  one  containing  the  ten-pound  draft, 
dispatched  by  Dr.  Moles  worth.  Newspaper  statements,  how- 
ever well  founded,  could  not  be  brought  to  the  attention  of  a 
jury.  The  preliminary  examination,  even  if  postponed,  could 
not  be  deferred  long ;  and  should  the  prisoner  pursue  a  bold 
and  determined  line  of  policy,  the  chances  seemed  greatly  in 
favor  of  his  escape.  No  time  was  to  be  lost  in  obtaining  ad- 
ditional proofs. 

Mr.  Myers  returned  to  Connellsville,  and,  equipped  with  the 
proper  authority,  thoroughly  searched  the  effects  of  Parker, 
but  failed  to  discover  a  single  foreign  letter  addressed  to  him, 
or  a  scrap  from  his  own  pen  which  threw  a  scintilla  of  light 


374 


TAKING    IN    STRANGERS. 


upon  his  operations.     He  then  reported  at  head-quarters  for 
further  instructions. 

The  acting  superintendent  of  foreign  mails,  at  once  wrote 
to  the  postmaster-general  at  London,  requesting  him  to  pro- 
cure and  forward  the  letters  addressed  by  Parker  to  Dr. 
Molesworth  and  to  Hon.  Peter  Taylor,  M.  P.  Mr.  Myers 
also  sent  a  note  to  Moncure  D.  Conway,  Esq.,  the  well  known 


"Mr.  Myers,  equipped  with  the  proper  authority,  thoroughly 
searches  the  effects  of  Parker." 

London  correspondent,  who  in  a  number  of  articles  had 
manifested  great  interest  in  the  exposure  of  the  swindle, 
asking  his  aid  in  collecting  evidence  to  be  used  at  the 
trial. 


GATHERING    EVIDENCE.  375 

While  waiting  for  replies,  the  special  agent  retraced  a  por- 
tion of  the  ground  covered  by  Parker,  in  order  to  learn  the 
history  of  the  Molesworth  draft.  It  was  known  that  he  visited 
Uniontown  about  the  middle  of  the  month ;  and  thither  the 
agent  accordingly  followed.  Among  the  arrivals  at  the  Eagle 
Hotel  for  October  i6th,  appeared  the  entry  "  Dr.  Parker  and 
wife."  Thence  he  proceeded  to  the  National  Bank,  and  was 
shown  the  following  memorandum  :  — 

"Bill  of  exchange,  No.  2456,  Brown,  Shipley  &  Co.  of 
Liverpool,  on  Brown  Brothers  &  Co.,  New  York,  dated  3Oth 
Sept.,  1874,  f°r  ten  pounds  sterling,  indorsed  William  Parker, 
cashed,  Oct.  16,  1874,  bv  A-  C-  Nutt>  teller." 

Mr.  Nutt  added  that  he  knew  Parker  personally,  and 
could  identify  his  handwriting.  On  inspecting  the  Whetham 
letters,  he  at  once  recognized  the  writing  as  Parker's,  and 
producing  another  from  Parker  to  himself,  pointed  out  the 
similarity. 

By  the  loth  of  November,  though  perhaps  not  fully  pre- 
pared for  the  trial  of  the  prisoner,  the  government  was  certainly 
in  readiness  for  the  preliminary  examination.  At  three  P.  M. 
a  large  crowd  had  gathered  to  hear  the  testimony,  including 
representatives  of  the  press  from  Pittsburgh  and  Cincinnati, 
public  curiosity  having  been  excited  by  the  extensive  notoriety 
achieved  by  the  doctor.  While  waiting  for  the  proceedings  to 
begin,  Myers  handed  the  prisoner  a  newspaper  which  came 
by  mail  from  Chicago,  and  asked  if  it  was  not  from  his  wife. 
He  glanced  at  the  writing  and  answered  affirmatively.  The 
wrapper  was  retained.  It  happened  to  be  one  of  Parker's 
printed  letter-heads,  and  ran  thus:  "  William  Parker,  M.  D., 
Connellsville,  Pa.,  office  hours  from  7  to  8  A.  M.,  n  to  12  A.  M., 
8  to  9  P.  M.  {^  All  bills  considered  due  when  services  are 
rendered."  This  was  the  first  time  that  any  one  connected 
with  working  up  the  case  had  seen  or  heard  of  any  such  letter- 
head, and  they  inferred  that  the  sheets  were  used  exclusively 
for  foreign  correspondence.  In  case  letters  written  on  similar 
paper  should  be  returned  from  abroad,  this  woulcj  constitute 


376 


TAKING    IN    STRANGERS. 


another  link  in  the  chain  of  evidence.     In  due  time  they  came 
plentifully. 

When  the  hour  arrived,  David  Reed,  Esq.,  United  States 
district  attorney,  who  conducted  the  prosecution,  asked  the 
prisoner  if  he  wanted  a  hearing  while  his  attorney,  Mr.  Rear- 
don,  was  absent. 


*  The  complete  breakdown  of  the  doctor  took  every  one  by  surprise." 

Prisoner.     "Well,  I  don't  know." 

Mr.  Reed.     "You  can  waive  a  hearing  if  you  please." 

Prisoner  (nervously}.  "I  think  I'll  admit  all,  and  give  you 
no  further  trouble." 

Mr.  Reed.  "You  certainly  don't  mean  to  throw  up  the 
sponge  ? " 


A   TOTAL    COLLAPSE.  377 

Prisoner.     "  Most  assuredly  I  do." 

District  Attorney.     "We  will  give  you  a  chance  anyhow." 

The  complete  breakdown  of  the  doctor  took  every  one  by 
surprise,  as  old  offenders  do  not  often  give  up  so  easily.  After 
a  brief  presentation  of  the  evidence  for  the  government,  the 
prisoner,  in  default  of  two  thousand  dollars  bail,  —  the  same 
amount  as  before,  —  was  remanded  to  jail,  to  await  trial  at  the 
next  term  of  the  court. 

In  compliance  with  the  request  of  Mr.  Myers,  Mr.  Moncure 
D.  Conway,  who  had  already  given  the  public  a  copy  of  one 
of  Parker's  epistolary  efforts,  published  a  card  in  the  London 
Times,  November  i8th,  requesting  all  persons  holding  letters 
from  Parker  to  forward  them  to  him,  No.  2  Pembroke  Square. 
The  card  further  stated  that  the  swindler  had  been  arrested  in 
America,  and  that  the  prosecution  desired  to  put  the  letters  in 
evidence  at  the  coming  trial.  The  public  responded  with 
commendable  promptness,  and  in  a  short  time  about  twenty  of 
these  singular  communications  were  sent  to  Mr.  Conway  from 
different  parts  of  the  kingdom.  They  were  dated  from  the 
several  towns  in  Ohio  and  Pennsylvania  already  mentioned, 
and  were  signed  Winter  Hamilton,  M,  D.,  Henry  Leatham, 
M.  D.,  and  William  Parker,  M.  D.  All  were  in  the  same 
handwriting,  and  for  the  productions  of  an  experienced  opera- 
tor quite  monotonous  in  similarity  to  each  other.  With  minor 
variations,  the  same  pathetic  story  was  told  over  and  over, 
showing  arid  poverty  of  invention  in  one  who  boldly  defied 
the  laws  for  the  purpose  of  making  a  livelihood  by  his  wits. 

Probably  but  a  very  small  percentage  of  the  letters  actually 
written  by  him  were  returned  by  the  recipients.  Many  had 
been  destroyed,  or  forgotten.  In  numerous  cases  the  credu- 
lous had  been  victimized,  and  when  the  exposure  came  kept 
silent,  most  people  who  have  been  duped  shrinking  from  the 
admission  of  the  fact  as  they  would  from  the  imputation  of  a 
crime. 

From  the  collection,  one  of  the  longest  and  most  elaborate  is 
selected  as  a  specimen  of  the  lot.  It  is  addressed  to  a  family 


378  TAKING    IN    STRANGERS. 

of  ladies,  whom  the  doctor  evidently  credits  with  a  love  for  the 
marvelous  and  romantic,  as  he  proceeds  to  enlighten  them  in 
regard  to  a  tragedy  enacted  in  a  distant  branch  of  their  family, 
which  drove  a  relative  of  theirs  into  exile  to  die  broken-hearted 
among  strangers.  It  will  be  noticed  that  the  writer,  confused 
doubtless  by  the  multitude  of  friendless  wanderers  who  flocked 
to  his  house  to  breathe  their  last  under  the  tender  ministrations 
of  himself  and  wife,  commits  a  stupid  blunder  in  names. 
Having  described  the  fascinating  youth  as  Edward  Copland, 
he  says,  on  coming  down  to  business,  "My  bill  for  professional 
services  to  Mr.  Johnson  is  one  hundred  and  sixty-five  dollars  !  " 
This  slip  must  have  prepared  the  minds  of  the  readers  to 
appreciate  the  usual  peroration  on  the  "  avariciousness "  of 
Americans,  an  imputation  which  he  hurls  back  with  patriotic 
scorn.  The  following  is  a  cop}7 :  — 

"  CANAL  FULTON,  STARK  COUNTY,  OHIO,  NORTH  AMERICA,  ) 

November  i,  1873.  ) 

"  MMES.  COPLAND,  England. 

u  Dear  Mesdames :  Some  three  months  ago,  a  young  Englishman 
—  Edward  Copland  —  arrived  in  this  town  and  fell  sick.  I  was  sent 
for  and  at  once  pronounced  his  case  hopeless,  telling  him  that  if  he 
had  any  business  to  settle,  it  must  have  his  immediate  attention. 
Turning  on  me  a  surprised  and  horrified  look,  he  said,  4  Doctor,  am 
I  going  to  die?'  4  There  is  not  a  chance  for  you/ was  my  reply. 
'  Then,'  said  he,  *  take  me  to  your  home,  doctor.  Nurse  me  while 
I  do  live ;  when  I  am  dead,  see  that  I  am  decently  buried ;  and,  on 
the  word  of  a  dying  man,  you  shall  be  no  loser  for  your  kindness.' 
On  making  his  request  known  to  my  wife,  she  granted  it ;  and  we 
took  him  to  our  home,  nursed  him  with  the  tenderest  care.  Some 
time  before  his  death,  he  asked  for  a  lawyer,  and  I  sent  for  my  own. 
After  their  interview,  Mr.  Copland  sent  for  me  and  made  the  fol- 
lowing statement,  which  he  desired  me  to  transmit  to  you  through 
the  medium  of  the  Reverend  W.  Gray.  In  reply  to  my  inquiry  why 
he  did  not  write  to  one  of  you  in  particular  and  also  direct,  he  simply 
stated  that  he  had  his  reason  for  this  course.  4  Doctor,  I  am  here 
the  victim  of  a  diabolical  crime.  Some  years  ago,  a  certain  gentle- 
man now  living  in  England  induced  a  young  lady,  to  whom  I  was. 


A   SANCTIMONIOUS    SHARPER.  379 

engaged  to  be  married,  to  smell  at  some  chloroform.  The  drug  took 
swift  effect  upon  her.  Then,  while  she  was  insensible,  he  violated 
her  person.  As  you  may  believe,  the  discovery  of  this  drove  me 
wild.  I  was  thrown  into  a  brain-fever,  and  lay  for  months  between 
life  and  death.  During  my  illness,  the  young  lady  died.  On  my 
recovery,  I  determined  to  leave  England,  and  so  sailed  for  this 
country,  where  I  have  since  lived.  I  feel  that  I  shall  not  live  long, 
and  I  wish  to  say  that  I  die  at  peace  with  God  and  man.  The  green 
grass  is  now  growing  over  the  grave  of  the  poor  dear  girl  I  loved  so 
tenderly,  in  the  old  churchyard  in  England,  and  it  will  soon  be 
growing  over  mine.  A  stranger  in  a  strange  land,  with  no  wife,  no 
children,  no  friend  to  wipe  the  gathering  death-sweat  from  my  brow ! 
My  God  !  my  God !  what  have  I  done  that  thou  shouldest  punish 
me  so  terribly?  ' 

"  The  poor  fellow  here  covered  his  face  with  his  hands  and  wept 
bitterly.  As  soon  as  he  had  regained  his  composure,  he  continued : 
4  The  Coplands  are  relatives  of  mine.  The  connection  is  a  distant 
one;  maybe  —  probably  is  —  unknown  to  them.  I  wish  you  to  tell 
them  that  I  desire  them  to  pay  you  for  your  attention  to  me  ;  and 
further,  to  tell  them  that  they  shall  be  rewarded  for  so  doing.  I 
could  pay  you  now  by  making  a  sacrifice  ;  but  if  you  will  only  wait 
till  your  letter  can  go  to  England,  I  think  Miss  Copland  will  pay 
you,  and  my  estate  will  be  saved  a  loss.  Tell  Miss  Copland  they 
shall  have  good  reason  to  be  thankful  for  having  complied  with  my 
request.' 

44  Of  course  I  granted  his  request.  My  acquaintance  with  Mr.  Cop- 
land had  convinced  me  he  was  incapable  of  fraud  ;  and  my  experi- 
ence as  a  physician  has  convinced  me  that  men  won't  lie  when  face 
to  face  with  death.  I  have  stood  at  many  deathbed  sides,  seen  many 
masks  pulled  off,  but  I  have  never  seen  the  man  who  would  lie  after 
death  had  seized  him.  My  bill  for  professional  services  to  Mr.  John- 
son is  one  hundred  and  sixty-five  dollars ;  his  funeral  expenses  were 
one  hundred  and  thirty-five  dollars,  equal  to  three  hundred  dollars, 
or  sixty  pounds  your  money.  , 

44  I  must  say  I  never  saw  a  more  painful  case  than  his,  nor  one  which 
more  interested  my  sympathies.  Poor  young  man  !  —  a  gentleman  un- 
mistakably by  birth,  by  education,  and  by  fortune,  —  to  go  down  to  an 
unknown  grave,  be  buried  a  stranger,  by  a  stranger,  among  strangers  ! 
pitiful  to  contemplate,  really.  Die,  too,  broken-hearted.  Of  course 


380  TAKING   IN   STRANGERS. 

I  suppose  that  you  know  this  Mr.  Copland ;  but  if  you  should  not, 
I  will  give  you  a  description  of  him,  so  that  his  identification  must 
be  easy.  Twenty-eight  years  old,  rather  above  the  middle  height, 
rather  of  a  slight  figure,  oval  face,  regular  features,  blue  eyes,  fair 
complexion,  light  hair,  appearance  and  manners  those  of  a  cultured, 
refined,  high-bred  man.  He  never  spoke  of  his  business  or  profes- 
sion, though  I  have  no  doubt  he  was  either  a  minister  of  the  church 
of  England,  or  had  been  educated  for  one,  he  was  so  well  acquainted 
with  all  matters  relating  to  the  church.  He  surprised  me  by  telling 
me  that  you  were  the  *  patrons '  of  Mr.  Gray's  church.  I  had 
always  had  the  impression  that  the  church  in  England,  being  united 
to  the  state,  had  its  ministers  appointed  by  the  government.  I  was 
not  surprised  to  hear  that  Mr.  Gray's  income  was  only  some  one 
hundred  and  fifty  or  two  hundred  pounds  a  year.  Not  the  wages  of 
a  skilled  mechanic  in  this  country.  Mr.  Copland  made  a  will,  which 
I  attested.  I  don't  know  that  I  violate  any  confidence  when  I  tell 
you  that  your  interest  will  be  subserved  by  complying  with  his  re- 
quest. This  will,  with  a  large  package  of  legal  documents,  his 
watch  and  chain,  ring,  and  some  other  articles  of  personal  jewelry, 
are  now  in  the  care  of  my  lawyer,  H.  Chambers,  who  will  retain 
them  until  I  hear  from  you,  after  which  they  will  be  sent  to  England. 
"  I  have  Mr.  Copland's  Bible.  I  frequently  caught  him  weeping 
over  it,  and  I  noticed  every  time  that  it  was  the  fly-leaf  that  he  was 
reading.  On  examining  the  book  after  his  death,  I  found  the  follow- 
ing lines  written  in  an  exquisite  lady's  hand  on  the  fly-leaf:  — 

"  '  Remember,  love,  who  gave  you  this, 

When  other  days  shall  come, 
When  she  who  had  thine  earliest  kiss 

Sleeps  in  her  narrow  home ; 
Remember  'twas  a  mother  gave 
The  gift  to  one  she'd  die  to  save.' 
"  'August  19,  1860,  Oxford.  Your  MOTHER.* 

"  It  is  to  be  hoped  that  '  mother '  is  sleeping  in  her  narrow  home, 
that  her  poor  heart  may  never  have  to  bleed  over  the  cruel  fate  that 
befell  her  boy.  Poor  fellow !  Well,  the  Lord  knows  what  is  best 
for  us  all ;  but  verily  his  ways  are  inscrutable.  Your  poor  friend 
bore  his  sufferings  with  the  utmost  patience  and  fortitude.  The 
gentleness  and  sweetness  of  his  disposition  endeared  him  to  us  all 
very  much.  We  employed  an  old  colored  woman,  who  was  once  a 


AMERICAN   AVARICIOUSNESS.  381 

slave,  to  assist  us  in  nursing  him.  She  would  often  say  to  me, 
*  Laws,  Massa  Doctor,  I  jis  lubs  dat  chile,  Massa  Copland.  No 
use  you  tryin'  to  cure  him,  massa.  He's  jis  a-gwine  to  hebben  —  he 
is.  Me  t'inks  he  too  good  for  dis  world.'  Last  Saturday  night,  at 
half  past  eleven,  he  died,  holding  my  hand.  His  last  words  were, 
4  It  is  dark/ 

"  It  is  generally  hard  for  an  American  to  read  without  a  smile  the 
remarks  of  some  English  travelers  on  our  avariciousness.  I  think 
you  will  allow  that  my  wife  and  I  acted  to  your  friend  in  full  keeping 
with  the  old  golden  rule,  4  Do  as  you  would  be  done  by.'  A  stranger, 
we  sheltered  him  ;  sick,  we  nursed  him.  No;  that  criticism  —  ava- 
ricious —  is  ungenerous,  unjust,  untrue.  To  call  the  American  peo- 
ple avaricious,  is  just  as  discriminating  and  just  as  base  as  to  call 
the  English  people  mean.  John  Bull  and  Brother  Jonathan  never 
refuse  an  appeal  to  their  charity ;  and,  thank  Heaven !  they  have 
abundant  means  to  do  it  with.  They  do  very  much  as  the  Yankee 
woman  did,  who  was  famous  for  the  excellence  of  her  rhubarb  pies. 
Being  asked  how  she  made  such  good  pies,  she  answered,  she  put  in 
as  much  sugar  as  her  conscience  would  allow,  and  then  shut  her  eyes 
and  put  in  a  handful  more.  So  English  and  Americans  give  all  their 
conscience  approves,  and  then  add  a  handful  without  counting  it. 

"  Good,  kind,  strong  mother  for  all.     God  bless  old  England ! 
"  I  am  yours  very  faithfully, 

"  WINTER  HAMILTON,  M.  D." 

One  more  short  extract  from  the  voluminous  pile  of  corre- 
spondence must  suffice.  It  is  from  a  letter  addressed  to  Rev. 
Joseph  Mann,  of  Wellington  Vicarage,  Yorkshire,  dated  Can- 
ton, Ohio,  and  signed  "  Winter  Hamilton,  M.  D."  Foregoing, 
with  customary  generosity,  all  claim  for  medical  attendance 
and  nursing,  he  solicits  the  return  of  one  hundred  and  twenty 
dollars,  the  amount  of  the  funeral  expenses  of  the  distant  rela- 
tive of  Mr.  Mann,  who,  after  many  tempestuous  tossings,  had 
found  at  last  a  resting-place  under  his  roof. 

"  I  felt  very  much  interested  in  the  poor  fellow.  I  did  for  him  all 
I  could ;  but  the  case  was  hopeless  when  I  first  saw  him.  I  notice 
that  English  travelers  in  America  are  wont  to  charge  us  Americans 


382  TAKING    IN    STRANGERS. 

•with  avariciousness,  caring  for  nothing  but  the  almighty  dollar.  I 
think  you  must  allow  that  myself  and  wife  have  acted  to  your  friend 
in  full  keeping  with  the  gospel  rule,  '  Do  as  you  would  be  done  by.' 
He  had  no  books,  no  papers,  no  clothes  with  him.  He  told  me  he  had 
had  to  leave  everything  belonging  to  him  in  pawn  for  board  in  New 
York.  His  only  shirt  was  marked,  I  think,  Charles  N.  Mann,  but 
the  middle  character  was  so  worn  as  to  be  hardly  distinguishable. 
He  received  the  attentions  of  our  minister  here  with  thankfulness ; 
and  on  the  day  he  died  he  told  my  wife  that  he  was  not  afraid  to  die, 
that  he  knew  and  felt  his  sins  forgiven,  and  would  rather  die  than 
live.  He  was  very  reticent  about  his  history  ;  said  nothing  about  his 
business  or  profession.  He  had  a  delicate  white  hand,  evidently  un- 
accustomed to  manual  labor.  His  manners  were  gentlemanly,  with 
something  of  feminine  refinement  about  them.  He  told  me  that  he 
had  taken  his  degree  at  some  other  college  than  yours.  You,  he  be- 
lieved, was  a  Cambridge  graduate  ;  you  must  have  lived  at  Kelling- 
ton  some  thirty  or  thirty-five  years.  If  you  have  got  copies  of  the  two 
sermons  you  preached,  and  of  the  two  letters  which  you  also  printed, 
I  should  be  glad  to  see  them." 

When  the  arrest  was  made  known,  other  parties  in  England 
aided  in  furnishing  evidence.  Dr.  Molesworth  made  oath  be- 
fore the  United  States  consul  at  Manchester  concerning  the  draft 
for  ten  pounds  remitted  to  Parker.  Brown,  Shipley  &  Co.,  of 
Liverpool,  sent  a  copy  of  the  same,  duly  certified  to. 

This  swindler  of  many  aliases  is  evidently  about  fifty  years 
old,  tall,  and  compactly  built,  with  an  appearance  of  intelli- 
gence and  shrewdness.  An  Englishman  by  birth,  he  claims 
to  have  graduated  at  the  college  of  Dublin  ;  but  little  is  known 
of  his  early  life,  as  he  is  very  reserved  in  talking  about  his 
antecedents.  He  came  to  this  country  in  1862  ;  shortly  after, 
according  to  his  own  story,  entering  the  navy  as  hospital  stew- 
ard under  an  assumed  name,  and  serving  in  the  squadron  of 
Farragut  till  the  close  of  the  war.  While  thus  engaged,  he 
invented  a  new  and  "  improved  "  method  of  short-hand  writing, 
which  he  subsequently  taught,  acting  at  the  same  time  as  trav- 
eling agent  for  sundry  life-insurance  companies  and  literary 
papers.  After  roaming  about  the  country  a  number  of  years, 


PERVERTED    GIFTS.  383 

the  prototype  perhaps  of  the  friendless  stranger  who  afterwards 
figured  so  prominently  in  his  foreign  correspondence,  he  de- 
cided to  settle  down  in  the  State  of  Ohio  ;  and  in  pursuance  of 
that  resolution,  married  in  1870  an  estimable  wife,  the  daugh- 
ter of  a  wealthy  family  of  Massillon.  The  heartless  adven- 
turer ingratiated  himself  with  the  unsuspicious  lady  by  repre- 
senting that  he  was  heir  to  an  immense  estate  in  England, 
which  at  no  distant  day  they  would  enjoy  together.  She  knows 
little  of  his  life  previous  to  marriage,  and  nothing  whatever  of 
his  family  connections.  He  is  well  fitted  to  impose  success- 
fully on  the  unwary,  possessing  an  attractive  person  and  agree- 
able manners,  and,  in  addition  to  a  knowledge  of  the  classics, 
speaking  French  and  German  fluently.  The  gifts  shamefully 
perverted  to  the  low  uses  of  deceit  might  easily  have  won  for 
him  an  honorable  place  among  men.  Various  minor  incidents 
indicate  that  he  had  served  a  long  apprenticeship  as  a  swindler, 
having  doubtless  fled  from  England  because  the  island  had 
become  too  hot  to  hold  him  longer.  When  apprehended,  he 
was  on  the  point  of  taking  a  fresh  departure,  and  had  that 
event  been  postponed  twenty -four  hours,  the  prison  might 
again  have  been  cheated  of  its  dues. 

On  the  6th  of  May,  1875,  Parker  was  brought  before  the 
United  States  court  at  Pittsburgh  for  trial,  six  indictments  hav- 
ing been  found  against  him  by  the  grand  jury.  When  asked 
if  he  was  ready,  he  replied  through  counsel  that  he  would 
plead  guilty  and  pray  the  mercy  of  the  court,  whereupon  he 
was  sentenced  to  imprisonment  for  eighteen  months  on  one 
indictment,  while  sentence  upon  the  remainder  was  suspended. 

There  is  no  way  —  except  through  the  confession  of  the 
swindler,  which  is  not  likely  to  throw  much  light  on  the 
mystery  for  some  time  to  come  —  for  determining  how  much 
money  Parker  managed  to  extort  by  his  various  epistolary 
appeals.  The  sum  must  have  been  considerable  in  the  aggre- 
gate, for  he  lived  and  traveled  in  good  style,  and  the  revenues 
to  sustain  the  expenditure  were  doubtless  derived  in  large 
measure  from  this  source,  as  the  occupation  of  teaching  the 


TAKING    IN    STRANGERS. 

new  system  of  short-hand  was  evidently  taken  up  as  a  blind 
to  cover  more  occult  operations,  rather  than  as  a  means  of 
livelihood. 

While  in  nearly,  if  not  quite  every  instance  he  aimed,  by 
references  to  the  property  and  will  of  the  unhappy  stranger  so 
tenderly  cared  for  by  himself  and  wife,  to  awaken  expectations 
of  handsome  returns  in  the  minds  of  correspondents  in  Eng- 
land, they  seem,  in  the  cases  where  the  motives  are  revealed, 
to  have  yielded  more  to  the  suggestions  of  sympathy  and  pity 
than  to  the  hope  of  gain. 


serpent  beguiled  me,  and 
I  did  eat." 

On  the  day  before  Christ- 
mas, 1875,  a  note  fr°m  the 
Executive  Mansion  was  re- 
ceived at  the  post-office  de- 
partment, requesting,  in  the 
absence  of  the  postmaster- 
general,  the  presence  of  the 
chief  special  agent.  On  re- 
pairing to  the  White  House, 
that  officer  was  informed  by 
the  President  that  a  bold  and 
successful  swindle  had  lately 
been  consummated  through 
the  real  or  pretended  use  of 
the  mails,  and  that,  as  his  own 
name  had  been  dragged  into 
the  matter  by  the  perpetrator, 
he  especially  desired  that  steps 

should  be  immediately  taken  with  the  view  of  detecting  and 
punishing  the  guilty  party.  After  a  brief  resume  of  the  salient 
facts,  the  President  referred  him  to  his  own  informant,  a  gen- 
tleman from  the  West,  who  was  familiar  with  the  details  of  the 
transaction. 

25 


386 


BEGUILED    BY   WORMS. 


The  following  day  the  officer  met  the  gentleman  in  question, 
who  proceeded  to  state  the  case  so  far  as  it  had  come  to  his 
knowledge,  and  volunteered  an  occasional  opinion  to  explain 
some  point  where  absence  of  proof  left  room  for  conjecture. 

It  appeared  that  about  the  middle  of  the  previous  October 
a  stranger  arrived  at  the  "  Arctic,"  a  caravansary  in  a  large 


"  In  the  parlor  of  the  proprietor  his  position  soon  became  established  as  a 
familiar  and  favorite  visitor." 

western  city,  and  registered  as  "C.  Worms,  Washington, 
D.  C."  As  the  proprietor  was  of  German  parentage,  while 
the  guest  spoke  French  and  German  fluently,  an  acquaintance 
sprung  up  between  them  which  rapidly  ripened  into  intimacy. 
The  progress  of  the  stranger  in  insinuating  himself  into  the 


SUGGESTIVE    HINTS.  387 

good  graces  of  the  family  was  further  facilitated  by  attentions 
to  the  children,  and  by  compliments,  apparently  hearty  and 
appreciative,  bestowed  upon  the  musical  accomplishments  of 
the  wife.  In  the  parlor  of  the  proprietor  his  position  soon 
became  established  as  a  familiar  and  favorite  visitor. 

As  the  days  rolled  by,  the  habitues  of  the  hotel  began  to 
wonder  who  the  stranger  could  be,  and  what  object  could 
have  brought  him  to  the  city.  No  one  knew  his  business, 
and  he  appeared  in  no  haste  to  make  disclosures.  Beyond 
the  fact  that  he  was  absent  from  the  house  a  part  of  each 
day,  and  occasionally  till  late  at  night,  nothing  transpired  to 
indicate  the  character  of  his  calling.  Several  times  he  in- 
quired at  the  desk  for  the  addresses  of  prominent  citizens 
with  whom  he  claimed  to  have  engagements ;  but  as  the 
persons  named  represented  a  variety  of  pursuits,  the  nature 
of  his  business  with  them  could  not  be  imagined. 

Thus  three  weeks  slipped  past ;  the  landlord  good-naturedly 
permitting  the  bill  of  the  curious  man  with  the  curious  name  to 
go  unpaid  beyond  the  regular  term  of  such  indulgence.  But 
the  period  was  approaching  when  attentions  and  compliments 
could  no  longer  be  made  to  perform  the  functions  of  green- 
backs, the  impending  crisis  being  foreshadowed  in  the  elon- 
gated features  and  waning  cordiality  of  the  host.  Accustomed 
to  interpret  the  storm-signals  that  flame  from  the  human  face, 
the  mysterious  guest  recognized  the  necessity  of  drawing 
aside  the  veil.  As  a  prelude,  he  accordingly  informed  the 
proprietor,  in  a  confidential  whisper,  that  he  was  an  w  Inspec- 
tor of  the  Interior  Department  for  Indian  Supplies,"  and  that 
having  nearly  completed  the  business  which  called  him  to 
the  West,  he  expected  to  return  to  Washington  in  a  few  days. 
He  further  stated  that  during  the  war  he  had  served  in  the 
Federal  army  as  assistant  quartermaster  with  the  rank  of  cap- 
tain, and  that  the  enjoyments  of  his  present  sojourn  in  the 
city  had  been  greatly  heightened  by  the  generous  hospitalities 
of  old  army  friends,  whom  he  now  met  for  the  first  time  since 
they  lived  together  on  the  tented  field. 


388  BEGUILED     BY    WORMS. 

The  conversation  then  drifted  off  into  general  matters,  with 
an  occasional  reference  to  the  Indian  supply  business,  designed 
to  whet  the  appetite  of  the  listener.  The  names  of  several 
distinguished  generals  then  stationed  there,  and  of  prominent 
residents  with  whom  he  assumed  to  be  on  terms  of  close  inti- 
macy, were  incidentally  mentioned,  as  if  the  association  would 
be  recognized  as  a  matter  of  course.  These  allusions  had  the 
effect  of  establishing  the  speaker  in  the  estimation  of  the  land- 
lord as  a  man  of  official  distinction  and  high  social  standing. 

Leaving  the  seed  to  germinate  over  night,  the  captain  the 
next  day  cautiously  reopened  the  subject  by  alluding  to  the 
kind  treatment  received  from  the  family  of  the  landlord,  and 
by  expressing  the  hope  that  he  might  soon  have  an  opportu- 
nity to  reciprocate  in  some  substantial  manner.  Already  the 
adventurer  had  succeeded  in  winning  the  confidence  of  his  in- 
tended victim,  and  it  only  remained  to  lubricate  the  approaches 
to  the  trap  into  which  he  hoped  soon  to  decoy  him.  He  in- 
quired, in  an  easy,  familiar  manner,  how  it  was  that  a  young 
man  possessing  so  much  ability  and  energy  could  consent  to 
keep  a  public  house,  with  its  cares,  and  risks,  and  responsi- 
bilities, when  other  ways  were  open  for  making  money  so 
much  more  easily  and  rapidly? 

"  What  do  you  mean  ?  "  inquired  the  host,  thoroughly  on  the 
alert. 

"  Why  don't  you  get  one  government  contract  for  furnishing 
goods  to  de  Indians?"  replied  the  supposed  inspector,  in  a 
low,  confidential,  insinuating  whisper. 

"I  don't  see  how  that  is  possible,"  answered  the  landlord; 
"  I  have  no  influence  to  secure  favors  of  this  sort.  Besides,  I 
suppose  a  large  bond  would  be  required.  Is  it  not  so?" 

"  Dat  be  shust  were  you  ish  mistakeen,"  replied  the  tempter. 
"You  does  not  need  much  monish  at  all.  Five  tousand  dol- 
lar will  fix  you  all  right  for  contract  for  two  hundred 
tousand." 

"  Five  thousand  dollars  is  a  large  sum  for  a  poor  man,  and 
I  haven't  that  amount,"  answered  the  landlord. 


COMING    TO    THE    POINT.  389 

Tse  sorry  for  dat,"  responded  the  stranger.  "  I  very  much 
like  to  help  you  in  dis  way.  May  be  you  got  some  friends 
can  lend  you  de  monish.  How  ish  dat?  " 

"  Perhaps,"  said  the  young  man,  reflectively,  WI  might 
manage  to  raise  the  money ;  but  I  have  no  acquaintances  in 
Washington  to  help  me,  and  wouldn't  know  how  to  go  about 
the  business." 

w  Don't  you  bodder  yourself  about  dat,"  argued  the  mysteri- 
ous guest.  "  You  raise  de  monish,  and  leave  all  dat  to  me.  I 
fix  him  shust  as  easy  as  turn  my  hand  over,  shure.  Vhy,  I 
knows  all  dem  fellahs  down  dere.  I  knows  de  President, 
Secretary  Chandler,  General  Cowen  —  all  de  big  men.  Vhy, 
I  lives  right  next  door  to  General  Cowen  in  Georgetown.  I 
has  big  influence  wid  all  dem  men.  I  do  shust  vhat  I 
please." 

w  My  father-in-law  might  let  me  have  the  funds,"  answered 
the  host,  weakening.  "  Suppose  that  you  should  speak  to  him 
on  the  subject." 

"  I  don't  know  about  dat,"  objected  the  man  of  influence. 
*  I  like  to  do  you  dis  favor  because  you  treats  me  so  goot  since 
I  been  here ;  but  I  don't  like  taking  outside  parties  into  dis 
business.  However,  if  you  say  it  be  all  right,  I  goes  and  see 
him." 

w  Of  course  it  is  perfectly  safe,"  answered  the  landlord. 
"  He  is  my  father-in-law,  and  will  help  me  in  any  way  he 
reasonably  can.  He  is  very  well  off,  too." 

"  Well  den,  I  sees  him,"  replied  the  guest,  as  if  with  some 
reluctance  ;  r  but  I  does  so  on  vhat  you  say.  I  wouldn't  have 
dis  get  out  for  noting.  As  officer  of  de  government  I  am  not 
allowed  to  do  dis,  but  we  all  go  outside  vonce  in  a  vile  to  help 
a  friend.  You  know  how  dat  be  yousef.  Of  course  I  has 
no  interest  in  dis  business  but  to  help  you,  and  dat  ish  all 
right.  Only  outside  people  might  talk,  and  I  lose  my  place, 
shure.  Mine  Got!  I  wouldn't  have  dis  get  out  for  de  world. 
It  would  shust  raise  h —  wid  me.  Peoples  dey  puts  de  worst 
look  alvays  on  vhat  a  fellah  does  for  a  friend." 


390 


BEGUILED    BY   WORMS. 


"  You  can  talk  with  my  father-in-law  just  as  freely  as  you 
can  with  me,"  said  the  landlord.  "  If  he  is  satisfied  there  is 
money  in  it,  he  may  make  the  advance." 

Worms  lost  no  time  in  seeking  out  the  father-in-law,  and  in 
explaining,  in  the  strictest  confidence,  the  scheme  already  pre- 
sented to  the  son.  Unfortunately,  through  lack  of  education 

|il,,(|||ll(r,!|i||W|iij|j|!K|)|jjll,,,  and  discern- 
ment,  coup- 
led with  the 
ambition  to 
wealth, 
more  potent 
than  the  re- 
gard for  the 
means  em- 
ployed in  its 
acquisition, 
the  old  gen- 
tleman fell 
•*  readily  into 
the  snare, 

and  accepted  an  invitation 
to  join  in  the  next  conference. 
A  meeting  of  the  trio  was 
soon  held.  To  both  the 
path  seemed  clear  and  the 
prospect  most  flattering. 
Steeped  in  the  lethean 
poison  exhaled  with  the 
breath  of  the  tempter,  the 

«  QuickeninK  Ms  steps,  he  came  up  In  time      •   t-  A              brief  dis- 

to  see  the  familiar  figure  of  his  friend  V1CU  1S»  ' 

disappear  through  the  entrance  to  one  CUSSlOn,  entered     into  the 

of  the  rooms."  .,           f  , . 

arrangement,      the     father 

agreeing  to  advance  the  money  and  take  a  half  interest  in 
the  business.  The  five  thousand  dollars  were  soon  secured 
in  the  form  of  a  draft  on  a  bank  in  Washington  city. 


SHADOWING    THE    INSPECTOR.  39! 

On  the  i8th  of  November,  Worms,  accompanied  by  his  dupe, 
started  for  the  national  capital.  On  the  route  the  business  was 
fully  discussed  and  an  understanding  reached,  whereby  the 
intermediary  was  to  receive  a  fat  percentage  of  the  profits  in 
payment  for  his  "official  influence."  Incidentally  the  captain 
alluded  to  the  unsettled  hotel-bill,  and  explained  his  negligence 
in  not  calling  for  it  by  the  statement  that  he  had  been  on  an 
extended  inspection  tour,  and  had  temporarily  run  short  of 
funds.  The  matter  should  be  attended  to  in  a  few  days.  The 
apology  was  hardly  required,  for  what  cared  the  prospective 
millionaire  for  a  few  paltry  dollars  due  from  the  best  and  most 
potent  of  benefactors  ? 

Meanwhile  the  embryo  contractor,  with  grateful  heart  and 
generous  purse,  defrayed  the  expenses  of  the  journey,  contin- 
uing to  act  as  banker  during  the  entire  period  of  their  com- 
panionship. 

Arriving  at  Washington,  the  pair  put  up  at  an  obscure  hotel. 
The  next  morning  Worms  gave  notice  that  he  should  visit  the 
department  of  the  interior  to  procure  the  contract,  and  request- 
ed his  companion  to  await  his  return.  During  the  last  few 
hours,  however,  the  customary  hardihood  of  the  operator  had 
given  place  to  manifest  nervousness  and  anxiety.  A  vague 
suspicion  crept  into  the  mind  of  the  young  man  that  after  all 
he  might  perhaps  be  the  victim  of  a  cheat.  Instead  of  re- 
maining behind,  he  accordingly  followed  the  receding  form  of 
the  captain  at  a  safe  distance,  and,  after  going  a  number  of 
blocks,  saw  him  enter  a  massive  marble  building  which  he 
learned,  on  inquiry  at  the  door,  to  be  the  department  of  the 
interior.  Quickening  his  steps,  he  came  up  in  time  to  see  the 
familiar  figure  of  his  friend  disappear  through  the  entrance  to 
one  of  the  rooms,  which  was  found  from  the  inscription  over 
the  portal  to  be  the  office  of  the  assistant  secretary.  Reassured 
by  the  circumstance,  the  dupe  returned  to  the  hotel  to  wait 
impatiently  for  the  return  of  the  "  inspector,"  little  dreaming 
that  in  pursuing  his  steps  in  disregard  of  instructions  he  had 
done  just  what  the  swindler  expected  and  desired. 


392  BEGUILED    BY    WORMS. 

In  the  course  of  an  hour  or  two  the  captain  reappeared, 
evidently  in  high  spirits  —  a  fact  readily  accounted  for  when 
he  reported  that  he  had  obtained  a  first-class  contract,  better, 
in  fact,  than  he  had  any  previous  reason  to  expect,  and  out  of 
which  thousands  could  be  made.  "But,"  continued  he,  "we 
must  get  out  of  dis  town  right  off.  De  devil  is  to  pay  at  de 
interior  department.  Dey  's  having  investigations  and  every 
tarn  ting  you  can  tink  of.  Everybody  is  vatched,  you  bet. 
If  dey  see  you  and  me  togeder,  and  find  out  you  is  con- 
tractor, dey  tink  someting  wrong  right  oft',  and  dat  knock  our 
business  in  a  cock  hat,  shure.  We  got  to  go  to  Philadelphia 
right  avay.  I  got  it  all  fix  to  have  de  papers  sent  to  me  dere. 
Den  you  sign  de  contract,  and  return  it  wid  de  monish  to  de 
President.  He  vill  approve  de  contract,  and  send  it  back. 
De  monish  he  vill  keep  till  de  goots  are  all  furnished,  and  den 
you  vill  get  it  again." 

Highly  exhilarated  at  the  prospect,  the  young  man  now 
converted  his  draft  into  ten  new  five  hundred  dollar  notes. 
Having  accomplished  all  that  could  be  done  in  Washington, 
the  friends  left  by  the  next  train  for  the  Quaker  City,  and 
took  quarters  at  a  small  hotel  on  Walnut  Street  much  resorted 
to  by  Germans. 

After  breakfast  the  next  morning,  Worms  directed  one  of 
the  call-boys  to  go  to  the  post-office  and  inquire  for  letters  for 
"Captain  Charles  Worms."  The  messenger  soon  returned 
with  the  report  that  there  was  a  letter  there  to  that  address, 
but  the  clerk  would  not  give  it  up  without  an  order.  Mani- 
festing considerable  disgust  at  the  stringent  regulations  of 
the  office,  the  captain  set  forth  to  secure  the  trophy  in 
person,  and  soon  returned  with  a  large  sealed  envelope, 
bearing  the  card  of  the  interior  department.  The  missive 
was  opened  in  the  presence  of  both,  and  was  found  to  con- 
tain a  written  paper  purporting  to  be  a  contract,  a  light 
buff-colored  envelope,  bearing  the  address  "U.  S.  Grant, 
Washington,  D.  C.,"  a  United  States  Treasury  check  for 
two  hundred  thousand  dollars,  payable  to  the  order  of 


THE    CONTRACT " SO    CALLED." 


393 


Charles  Worms,  and  a  general  letter  of  instructions  in  refer- 
ence to  the  business. 

The  following  is  a  correct  copy,  with  the  names  of  the  vic- 
tims omitted :  — 

"  Contract    to    supply  the   Indians ,   awarded  to    

and . 

"Special  Order 

No.  761.  "INTERIOR  DEPARTMENT, 

"WASHINGTON,  D.  C.,  November  i8th,  1875. 

"Articles  of  agreement  made  and  entered  into,  this  iSth  day  of 
November,  anno  domini,  one  thousand  eight  hundred  and  seventy- 
five,  between  Gen'l  G.  L.  Co  wen,  Assistant  Secretary  of  Interior,  an 

officer   of  the   United    States,    of  the   one  part,  and  N and 

K of ,  of  the  second  part. 

"  This  agreement  witnesseth  that  the  said  Gen'l  G.  L.  Cowen,  for 

and  on  behalf  of  the  United  States  of  America  1  and  the  said  N 

and  K ,  heirs,  executors  and  administrators,  have  covenanted 

and  agreed,  and  by  these  presents  do  mutually  covenant  and  agree  to 

and  with  each  other  as  follows:   ist.  That  the  said  N and 

K ,  heirs,  executors  and  administrators,  shall  supply  or  cause 

to  be  supplied  and  issued  at ,  at  the  office  of  the  Inspector  of 

Indian  Affairs,  articles  hereinafter  specified,  that  shall  be  required  for 
the  use  of  Indians : 

"  100,000  —  One  hundred  thousand  flannel  shirts  (a)  $1.24 

100,000  —  One  hundred  thousand  pairs  drawers  "  .70 

30,000 — Thirty  thousand  pairs  boots  "  3.90 

50,000  —  Fifty  thousand  pairs  shoes  —  brogans  "  2.45 

100,000  —  One  hundred  thousand  pairs  socks  "  .33 

50,000  —  Fifty  thousand  woolen  blankets  —  pair  "  4-9° 

10,000 — Ten  thousand  rubber  pouches  "  2.63 

30,000  —  Thirty  thousand  trowsers  "  3.98 

50,000  —  Fifty  thousand  rubber  blankets  "  2.15 

*'  Tis  articles  shall  be  received  in  the  city  of ,  and  inspected 

by  Capt.  Chas.  Worms,  Inspector  of  this  Department. 

"  Payment  shall  be  made  by  the  Inspector's  vouchers  weekly  or 
monthly. 


394  BEGUILED    BY    WORMS. 

"  This  contract  will  be  in  force  two  months  from  date. 
"  No  member  of  Congress  shall  be  admitted  to  any  share  herein, 
or  any  benefit  to  arise  therefrom. 

u  In  witness  whereof  the  undersigned  place  their  hands  and  seals : 

(Signed)  "  N 


"  K ,  per  N ,  per  power  of  attorney. 

"  CHAS.  WORMS,  Inspector. 
"  Z.  CHANDLER,  Secretary. 

"  EXECUTIVE  MENTION, 
"WASHINGTON  D.  C.  Nov.  18,  1875. 

"  Approved  : " 

After  reading  the  document,  the  extraordinary  appearance 
and  phraseology  of  which  failed  to  excite  in  his  inexperienced 
mind  any  suspicion  of  its  genuineness,  the  victim  signed  the 
paper  both  for  himself  and  for  his  father-in-law  as  attorney. 
Worms  also  appended  his  own  euphonious  name  as  "in- 
spector." 

Here  it  fortunately  occurred  to  the  youth,  who  was  about  to 
risk  so  much  on  the  venture,  that  he  ought  to  keep  a  copy  of 
the  instrument  for  future  reference,  and  he  accordingly  made 
a  verbatim  transcript  as  exhibited  above.  He  even  had  the 
discernment  to  see  that  "  executive  mention  "  should  have  been 
written  "executive  m-a-n-s-i-o-n,"  and  that  "Tis"  before  arti- 
cles should  have  been  "these."  On  hazarding  the  bold  criti- 
cism, he  was  told  that  as  a  foreigner  drew  up  the  paper,  such 
mistakes  were  liable  to  occur. 

It  is  proper  to  remark,  in  passing,  that  contracts  for  Indian 
supplies  are  never  made  either  by  the  secretary  or  assistant 
secretary  of  the  interior.  The  affair  submitted  by  Worms 
bears  about  as  much  resemblance  to  one  of  the  genuine  forms 
as  the  Choctaw  language  bears  to  Sanscrit.  That  a  tolerably 
intelligent  man  was  duped  by  so  transparent  a  cheat  illustrates 
that  perennial  marvel  —  the  capacity  of  human  nature  for 
being  humbugged. 

The  landlord,  happy  in  the  contemplation  of  prospective 


SEALING    THE    ENVELOPE. 


395 


wealth,  proceeded  to  draw  off  his  boot  in  which  the  five  thou- 
sand dollars  had  been  placed  for  safe-keeping.  The  money 
with  the  contract  was  inclosed  in  the  envelope  directed  to 
"U.  S.  Grant,  Washington,  D.  C.,"  and  sealed  in  the  usual 
manner. 

Worms  suggested,  that,  owing  to  the   great  value  of  the 


"« Dat  be  not  necessary,'  answered  the  captain,  gyrating  around  the  table." 


inclosure,  the  envelope  should  be  sealed  in  five  places  with 
wax.  The  proposition  favorably  struck  his  companion,  who 
stooped  over  to  draw  on  his  boot  preparatory  to  going  for  the 
material,  and  remarked,  "I  suppose  I  shall  have  to  step  down 
to  the  office  for  it." 

"Dat  be  not  necessary,"  answered  the  captain,  gyrating 


39^  BEGUILED    BY   WORMS. 

around  the  table ;  "  I  has  such  frequent  use  for  dem  tings  in 
sealing  official  documents  that  I  always  carry  dem  wid  me ;  " 
at  the  same  time  drawing  a  piece  of  wax  from  his  pocket,  and 
passing  it  to  his  companion,  who  at  this  juncture  had  just 
completed  the  process  of  pulling  on  his  boot. 

Together  they  sealed  the  envelope  in  five  places,  each  seal 
being  impressed  with  a  private  stamp  carried  by  the  operator, 
not  only  for  greater  security,  but  also,  as  he  alleged,  to  insure 
instant  attention  at  the  White  House.  The  missive  was  then 
taken  to  the  post-office  by  the  unsuspecting  dupe,  and  duly 
registered,  the  receipt  bearing  date  November  20,  1875. 

The  same  day  the  contractor  and  his  patron  proceeded  to 
New  York,  and  took  quarters  at  the  St.  Denis  Hotel,  register- 
ing under  assumed  names  at  the  suggestion  of  Worms,  to  avoid 
annoyance  from  dealers  in  Indian  supplies,  who  would  be  sure 
to  overrun  him  the  moment  they  learned  he  was  in  the 
city.  On  Monday,  the  22d,  the  captain  went  down  town 
alone  to  deposit  the  check  for  two  hundred  thousand  dollars, 
received  with  other  papers  already  enumerated  through  the 
post-office  at  Philadelphia.  On  returning  he  exhibited  on  a 
printed  form  what  purported  to  be  a  certificate  of  deposit  from 
the  sub-treasury  for  the  full  amount. 

As  the  victim  was  thoroughly  plucked,  the  time  had  now 
come  for  shaking  him  off.  Accordingly,  by  the  advice  of  the 
w  inspector,"  he  proceeded  in  hot  haste  to  Boston  to  examine 
certain  goods  required  under  the  terms  of  the  contract,  the 
captain  remaining  behind  to  await  the  arrival  of  important 
papers  from  the  department.  Not  long  after  reaching  "  the 
Hub,"  he  received  the  following  dispatch  :  — 

"New  YORK,  Nov.  23d,  1875. 

"Things  mixed.     Return  to .     Will  meet  you  there. 

"C.  W." 

On  receipt  of  the  telegram,  the  newly-fledged  dealer  in 
Indian  supplies  returned  home  to  resume  the  humble  round 


THE    LETTER    AS    RECEIVED.  397 

of  cares  from  which,  as  he  fondly  hoped,  the  magnificent 
projects  of  his  benefactor  were  soon  to  emancipate  him.  A 
few  days  later  he  was  instructed,  if  not  cheered,  by  an  auto- 
graph note,  whereof  the  following  is  a  copy  :  — 

"NEW  YORK,  November  27. 

"  FRIEND  N in  short,  evere  thing  will  be  all  wreight ; 

don't  bodder  your  selfs.     Tell  K that  evere  thing  will  be 

setlet  in  short  compliment  to  gus. 

"  Yours  truly 

"  CAPTAIN 
"W 

"P.  S.  I  leave  for  W.  to  neight,  and  from  there  God 
nows  were ;  I  think  Chicago." 

Meanwhile  a  registered  letter  of  the  official  size,  post- 
marked Philadelphia,  Nov.  20,  and  imposingly  sealed  with 
wax  in  five  places,  arrived  by  due  course  of  mail  at  the  Exec- 
utive Mansion.  When  opened,  it  was  found  to  contain  noth- 
ing but  twenty  or  more  strips  of  newspaper  cut  promiscuously 
from  the  sheet,  without  reference  to  continuity  of  matter,  and 
bearing  no  obvious  relation  to  each  other ;  no  writing  whatever 
accompanied  the  clippings  by  way  of  explanation.  The  in- 
closure  was  examined  by  the  President  and  his  secretary,  and 
was  supposed  to  have  been  sent  by  some  crazy  person,  as 
somewhat  similar  missives  previously  received  had  been  uni- 
formly credited  to  freaks  of  insanity. 

Having  waited  a  month  in  vain  for  the  coming  of  Worms, 
and  hearing  nothing  from  either  contract  or  money,  the  hotel 
proprietor  reluctantly  reached  the  conclusion  that  "  things  were 
mixed,"  and  dispatched  a  friend  to  Washington  to  see  the 
President,  and  learn,  if  possible,  the  fate  of  the  five  thousand 
dollars. 

When  General  Grant  learned  the  real  character  of  the  mys- 
terious letter  received  several  weeks  before,  he  took  the  steps 
already  referred  to  for  the  discovery  and  apprehension  of  the 


BEGUILED    BY    WORMS. 

swindler,  directing  that  the  chase  should  be  vigorously  pushed. 
The  chief  special  agent  immediately  telegraphed  to  Mr.  Thos. 
P.  Shallcross,  an  officer  of  great  experience  and  skill,  to 
come  on  and  take  charge  of  the  investigation.  Mr.  Z.  L. 
Tidball  was  also  specially  deputized  to  co-operate  with  him  in 
the  work.  In  the  presence  of  these  gentlemen  the  represen- 
tative of  the  victim  carefully  went  over  the  entire  ground, 
again  repeating  the  story  as  communicated  to  him. 

It  was  his  opinion,  based  on  the  information  received  from 
his  principal,  that  Worms  had  a  confederate  either  in  the  Phil- 
adelphia or  Washington  post-office,  through  whose  connivance 
a  spurious  letter  was  substituted  for  the  genuine.  The  pro- 
spective contractor  maintained  that  so  sharp  was  his  watch 
that  the  trick  could  not  have  been  performed  in  the  interval 
between  the  inclosure  of  the  money  and  the  time  when  he  took 
the  letter  from  the  room  to  be  registered.  The  officers  thought 
differently,  but  none  the  less  explored  every  possible  theory, 
putting  conjecture  to  the  test  of  fact. 

In  the  absence  of  definite  data,  they  reasoned  that  a  swin- 
dler who  operated  with  so  much  adroitness  on  a  scale  of  such 
magnitude  would  be  prepared  to  execute  every  part  of  the 
scheme  without  recourse  to  an  accomplice,  particularly  as 
success  depended  far  more  on  the  credulity  of  the  victim 
than  on  the  intricacy  of  the  imposture.  A  needless  copart- 
nership would  diminish  the  profits  and  enhance  the  chances 
of  discovery.  Besides,  there  was  a  strong  antecedent  improb- 
ability that  a  cheat  would  make  a  corrupt  and  felonious 
arrangement  with  a  postal  registry-clerk,  in  prospect  of  a 
contingency  so  unlikely  to  arise. 

All  the  facts  as  developed  justified  the  first  conceptions  of 
the  officers.  The  letter  was  mailed  in  the  busiest  part  .of  the 
day,  when  numbers  were  waiting  their  turn  at  the  window. 
It  was  inclosed  with  half  a  dozen  others  in  the  packet  for 
Washington,  which  was  duly  sealed  with  wax^and  dispatched 
by  the  first  mail.  Several  employes  of  unquestioned  integrity 
were  present  during  the  entire  process. 


DESCRIPTION    OF    THE    SWINDLER. 


399 


For  reasons  too  obvious  to  require  explanation,  the  theory 
that  the  substitution  might  have  been  made  in  the  post-office 
at  Washington  seemed  still  more  unreasonable.  The  swindler 
unquestionably  exchanged  the  package  containing  the  money 
and  contract,  for  another  exactly  resembling  it  in  size  and 
external  appearance,  while  his  companion  was  pulling  on  his 
boot  before  the  work  of  sealing  began. 

At  this  time  none  of  the  parties  on  the  trail  knew  whence 
Worms  came,  or  whither  he  had  gone.  Guided  by  his  own 
assertion  that  he  had  served  in  the  Union  army,  special 
agent  Tidball  called  at  the  war  department,  and  through  the 
courtesy  of  the  adjutant-general  was  permitted  to  examine 
the  records. 

It  appeared  that  ff  Charles  Worms  "  enlisted  as  commissary 
sergeant  in  the  Fifty-Eighth  Regiment,  New  York  Volunteer 
Infantry,  October  7,  1861,  and  served  until  January  18,  1862, 
when  he  was  commissioned  second  lieutenant,  and  subse- 
quently first  lieutenant  of  company  K  of  the  same  regiment. 
February  26,  1863,  he  was  appointed  by  President  Lincoln 
an  assistant  quartermaster  of  volunteers,  with  the  rank  of 
captain,  and  assigned  to  duty  with  the  Eleventh  Corps,  Army 
of  the  Potomac,  and  was  afterward  transferred  to  the  Depart- 
ment of  the  Gulf,  where  he  served  in  New  Orleans  and 
vicinity  till  the  close  of  the  war. 

From  data  furnished  by  the  victimized  landlord,  as  supple- 
mented by  information  obtained  from  the  records  of  the  war 
department,  the  following  accurate  description  of  Worms  was 
prepared  by  the  officers,  and  published  in  circular  form. 

"  Born  in  Lille,  France  ;  about  fifty-two  years  old  ;  five  feet  six  inches 
high  ;  stout  built ;  weighs  about  180  or  190  pounds  ;  dark  complexion  ;  brown 
eyes ;  black  hair,  mixed  with  gray ;  moustache ;  uses  snuff  and  often 
coughs  ;•  a  white  sediment  or  matter  collects  in  the  corners  of  his  eyes  every 
hour  or  so  ;  talks  a  great  deal  of  women,  and  is  fond  of  card-playing  ;  fre- 
quents German  play-houses,  and  might  be  found  there  at  almost  any  time  ; 
wears  gold  watch  and  vest-chain,  with  foreign  gold  coin  charm  set  in  a 
twisted  border  or  rim  ;  wears  plain  gold  ring  on  small  finger  of  left  hand ; 
'wears  eye-glasses,  black  bows,  and  when  not  in  use  is  in  the  habit  of  toying 
with  them  ;  speaks  French  fluently  but  with  a  German  accent,  and  is  a 
good  German  scholar ;  he  has  much  the  appearance  of  a  Jew  and  would 


400  BEGUILED    BY   WORMS. 

hardly  be  taken  for  anything  else  ;  styles  himself  "  doctor "  or  "  captain  ; " 
has  small  thick  feet ;  when  last  seen  wore  tongue-boots,  left  one  cut  to  relieve 
a  swelling  of  the  instep." 

So  far  as  could  be  learned,  Worms  had  long  before  dis- 
appeared below  the  mental  horizon  of  every  one  about  Wash- 
ington. He  was  not  and  never  had  been  employed  by  the 
interior  department  as  inspector  of  Indian  supplies.  At  the 
war  department,  the  generation  that  once  enjoyed  personal 
knowledge  of  him  had  passed  away.  He  seemed  to  have 
returned  after  the  lapse  of  many  years  like  a  lost  comet,  and 
to  have  vanished  as  suddenly  as  he  came. 

At  first  the  officers  surmised  that  he  had  probably  left  the 
country  by  way  of  New  York  city.  Thither  they  accordingly 
started  on  the  first  day  of  January,  1876,  stopping  at  Phila- 
delphia to  visit  the  German  hotel  on  Walnut  Street,  the 
surroundings  of  which  were  found  to  correspond  with  the 
description  in  their  hands,  but  nothing  of  value  could  be 
gleaned  there. 

On  arriving  in  New  York  city,  the  officers  began  to  hunt 
for  the  fugitive  with  unrelenting  vigor,  though  possessing  no 
tangible  clue  to  work  from.  Apprehensive  that  the  swindler 
had  exchanged  his  ill-gotten  greenbacks  for  gold  and  fled 
to  Europe,  they  called  at  the  various  banking-houses  that 
deal  in  foreign  exchange,  but  could  find  no  record  which 
seemed  to  meet  the  conditions  of  the  supposed  transaction. 
All  the  foreign  shipping  offices  were  visited,  and  the  several 
lists  of  passengers  sailing  between  November  22d  and  Janu- 
ary ist  carefully  examined,  but  the  vermicular  name  was 
nowhere  to  be  seen.  A  description  of  the  peculiar  appear- 
ance and  manners  of  the  missing  man  failed  to  recall  the 
sinister  physiognomy  to  any  of  the  officials  of  the  steamship 
companies. 

The  city  directory  —  that  thesaurus  of  weighty  information 
—  was  then  resorted  to.  The  Worms  family  was  found  to  be 
numerously  represented  among  the  denizens  of  the  metropolis, 
several  sons  of  the  house  rejoicing  in  the  initial  "C."  The 


JOGGING    A   SLOW    MEMORY. 


401 


owners  were  hunted  down,  and  their  separate  identity  from 
the  original  and  genuine  successively  established. 

The  register  of  the  St.  Denis  verified  the  statements  of  the 
victim,  but  did  not  further  illumine  the  darkness.  The  pros- 
pect did  not  wear  a  cheerful  look. 

During  the  day  spent  together  in  New  York,  Worms  took 
his  companion  to  a  German  restaurant  near  the  Grand  Central 


"  Yas,  yas,"  ruminated  the  tapster,  "I  mind  >im  now.    Talk  much,  didn't  he, 
'bout  bein'  a  soldier  ?    Talk  very  big." 

Depot,  where  the  affectionate  twain  indulged  in  frequent  pota- 
tions and  heart-disclosing  hilarity.  Fortunately  the  dupe  who 
paid  the  score  retained  the  business  card  of  the  establish- 
ment. Thither  the  officers  went  on  a  voyage  of  discovery, 
not  sanguine  of  success,  but  resolved  to  leave  no  possible 
source  of  information  unexplored.  The  proprietor,  a  good- 
natured  Dutchman,  did  not  know  Captain  Worms,  and  had 
26 


4O2  BEGUILED    BY    WORMS. 

never  heard  of  such  a  personage.  Strangers  came  and 
went,  drank  and  talked,  but  he  asked  no  questions. 

However,  the  persistent  efforts  of  the  special  agents  to 
refresh  the  memory  of  the  host  succeeded  at  length  in  re- 
calling the  faded  lineaments  of  the  ex-quartermaster.  w  Yas, 
yas,"  ruminated  the  tapster,  "I  mind  'im  now.  Talk  much, 
didn't  he,  'bout  bein'  a  soldier,  an'  fightin'  in  de  wars?  Had 
tall  man  wid  'im.  Talk  very  big." 

By  dint  of  much  mental  effort  the  proprietor  succeeded  in 
recollecting  fragments  of  the  conversation  that  passed  between 
the  hilarious  companions.  Worms  mentioned  an  old  army 
comrade  whom  he  proposed  to  call  upon.  The  gentleman 
lived  up  the  river,  but  was  employed  in  a  large  establishment 
down  town.  As  nearly  as  he  could  remember  it,  the  German 
gave  the  officers  the  name,  and  though  a  mere  hint  of  the 
real  name,  the  resemblance  in  sound  enabled  them  to  find 
the  person  to  whose  former  acquaintance  the  swindler  had 
boastfully  referred.  He  proved  to  be  a  gentleman  of  intelli- 
gence and  character,  who  served  with  distinction  during  the 
war,  and  who  had  no  concealments  to  make  in  the  interest 
of  the  associate  that  had  turned  out  so  badly. 

He  had  not  seen  Worms  for  a  long  time  —  in  fact,  had 
almost  forgotten  the  existence  of  such  a  man.  The  ex- 
quartermaster  returned  from  New  Orleans  with  considerable 
money,  and  after  a  time  formed  a  copartnership  in  a  retail 
mercantile  house  with  an  Israelite,  who,  for  convenience, 
may  be  called  w  J.  Schmidt."  Matters  did  not  prosper,  how- 
ever. Ere  long,  the  concern  mounted  skyward  in  flame  and 
smoke,  under  circumstances  of  such  suspicion  that,  at  the 
instance  of  the  insurers,  the  partners  were  arrested  for  arson. 
After  considerable  litigation,  the  trouble  was  finally  compro- 
mised, when  the  supposed  incendiary  quit  the  city.  For 
five  or  six  years  the  gentleman  had  neither  seen  nor  heard 
of  him. 

Then  began  the  hunt  for  the  former  partner.  By  further 
reference  to  the  directory,  the  line  of  "  J.  Schmidts,"  stretch- 


A    SUGGESTIVE    COINCIDENCE. 


4°3 


ing  up  and  down  in  serried  columns,  seemed  too  formidable 
for  investigation  in  the  short  period  allotted  to  a  single  life. 
Old  volumes  were  exhumed,  and  after  patient  search  it  was 


"  But  I  haf  no  writteen  audoritee,  remonstrated  J.  S." 

found  that  one  member  of  the  illustrious  tribe  lived  on  the 
same  street  and  at  the  same  number  where  a  "C.  Worms" 
had  resided  several  years  before.  Interpreted  in  the  light 


404  BEGUILED    BY    WORMS. 

of  facts  already  known,  the  coincidence  connected  the  two 
men  as  the  probable  partners.  Through  the  agency  of  a 
shrewd  letter-carrier,  the  correctness  of  the  surmise  was 
soon  established.  This  party  unquestionably  knew  where 
the  fugitive  could  be  found,  and  it  was  desirable  to  make  the 
knowledge  available  without  needless  delay. 

Thoroughly  instructed  by  the  special  agents,  the  letter- 
carrier  in  the  round  of  duty  again  reaches  the  door  of  "  J. 
Schmidt,"  and  proceeds  to  interview  the  proprietor.  '"Will 
you  be  kind  enough  to  tell  me,"  he  inquired,  "  where  I  can 
find  Captain  Charles  Worms.  He  used  to  live  here,  and  I 
have  a  valuable  letter  for  him." 

"Give  it  me,  and  I  send  it  him,"  responded  J.  Schmidt. 
"He  no  live  here  any  more." 

"But  I  can't,"  responded  the  carrier.  "It  is  a  registered 
letter,  and  I  must  have  his  written  receipt,  as  I  am  responsible 
for  it." 

"  I  sign  receipt  for  de  Capteen,"  proposed  the  former  part- 
ner in  bland  tones. 

"You  can  if  you  have  written  authority,"  replied  the 
carrier. 

"But  I  haf  no  writteen  audoritee,"  remonstrated  J.  S. 

"Well,  then,"  argued  the  carrier,  "you  had  better  give  me 
his  present  address,  and  it  will  be  forwarded  to  him  direct 
from  the  post-office.  Otherwise  it  must  be  sent  to  Washing- 
ton, and  may  be  lost.  The  letter  may  contain  money,  or  be  of 
great  importance,  you  know." 

The  habitual  caution  of  the  son  of  Abraham  was  com- 
pletely silenced  by  the  ingenuous  manner  of  the  youth. 
Throwing  off  further  reserve,  he  said,  "  Dat  be  all  right. 
De  letter  find  de  Capteen  at  No.  $6  German  Street,  Mont- 
real." 

The  youth  wrote  down  the  address,  and  walked  away. 

At  nine  o'clock  the  next  morning,  the  special  agents 
stepped  from  the  train  in  Montreal  under  the  impression 
that  Worms  was  in  very  truth  a  "Wandering  Jew,"  a  tempo- 


THE    FORGER    AT    HOME. 


405 


rary  sojourner  in  a  strange  land,  who,  like  many  others, 
had  fled  to  the  Canadian  metropolis  as  a  city  of  refuge. 
It  was  not  till  some  time  afterward,  so  cautiously  were  their 
operations  conducted,  that  they  learned  he  was  a  resident 
of  the  place,  and  a  naturalized  citizen  of  the  Queen's  do- 
minions. 

After  breakfast,  the  officers  called  upon  Hon.  W.  C.  Dart, 
consul-general,  to  whom  they  communicated  the  object  of 
their  mission,  and  whose  aid  they  solicited  in  securing  the 
person  of  the  swindler.  While  manifesting  a  desire  to  co- 
operate heartily  in  the  proposed  undertaking,  that  functionary 
explained  the  embarrassments  attending  the  process  of  extra- 
dition. The  situation  was  reported  to  the  department  at  Wash- 
ington, together  with  such  facts  as  would  enable  the  authorities 
to  execute  the  necessary  papers. 

The  officers  had  not  been  two  hours  in  the  city  before 
Mr.  Shallcross  met  Worms  on  the  street,  and  so  accurate 
was  the  description  he  had  aided  in  preparing,  that  he  instant- 
ly recognized  the  ill-starred  visage. 

Calling  upon  certain  gentlemen  to  whom  they  brought 
letters  of  introduction,  they  proceeded  to  inquire  into  the  pur- 
suits, habits,  and  haunts  of  the  forger,  and  were  thus  en- 
abled to  keep  his  movements  under  close  surveillance,  as 
day  after  day  he  drove  about  the  city  in  a  stylish  sleigh, 
greatly  enjoying  to  all  appearance  the  bracing  atmosphere, 
from  the  frostiness  of  which  he  was  protected  by  elaborate 
and  costly  furs,  purchased,  no  doubt,  from  the  proceeds  of 
the  recent  raid  across  the  border.  With  little  to  do  beyond 
keeping  an  eye  on  the  criminal,  time  dragged  wearily 
along,  and  as  days  grew  into  weeks,  the  special  agents 
began  to  realize  with  no  little  inward  disgust  that  from 
fear  of  exposure  they  themselves,  the  keen-scented  hunters 
in  the  chase,  were  the  virtual  prisoners,  at  liberty  only  on 
their  own  recognizance  to  stroll  about  the  hotel,  or  indulge 
cautiously  in  out-door  exercise. 

Daily  communications  to  head-quarters   kept  the   depart- 


406  BEGUILED    BY    WORMS. 

ment  advised  of  the  posture  of  affairs,  but  as  a  very  small 
portion  of  the  time  sufficed  for  the  preparation  of  the  mis- 
sives, the  agents  grew  weary  with  waiting,  and  exhausted 
the  resources  of  ingenuity  in  vain  efforts  to  relieve  the  mo- 
notony. In  answer  to  one  of  these  epistles,  setting  forth  in 
dolorous  terms  the  discomforts  of  the  situation,  and  asking 
for  speedy  release,  the  chief  special  agent  admonished  them 
to  exercise  patience,  concluding  with  the  scriptural  injunction, 
"Watch  and  pray  without  ceasing."  On  receipt  of  this, 
inferring  that  some  time  must  yet  elapse  before  the  requisite 
papers  could  be  forwarded  from  Washington  to  Ottawa,  —  after 
which  seven  days  are  allowed  under  a  provision  of  the  treaty- 
act  before  the  order  for  extradition  can  issue  from  the  govern- 
ment, —  and  believing  that  their  interests  and  comfort  were  as 
fully  considered  as  the  circumstances  of  the  case  would  per- 
mit, they  settled  down  into  a  state  of  resignation  and  tran- 
quillity, prepared  in  mind  to  hold  out  to  the  end.  The  fol- 
lowing letter  from  Mr.  Tidball,  written  under  the  depressing 
influences  referred  to,  though  not  particularly  cheerful,  shows 
how  philosophers  learn  to  make  the  best  of  things :  — 

"  MONTREAL,  January  19,  1876. 

"DEAR  SIR:  —  Nearly  two  weeks  have  elapsed  since  our  arrival 
here,  and  I  can  scarcely  recall  a  similar  period  throughout  which  the 
time  has  passed  so  unpleasantly. 

"  Aware  that  Mr.  Shallcross  has  kept  you  advised  of  the  state  of 
affairs,  I  have  postponed  writing,  in  the  hope  that  a  speedy  termina- 
tion of  our  business  would  enable  me  to  communicate  the  good  tid- 
ings ;  but  after  all  our  waiting,  we  find  the  situation  to  be  very  un- 
certain, and  the  end  beyond  conjecture. 

"  Time  passes  wearily,  in  truth,  I  may  say  drearily  ;  for  while  we 
go  abroad  as  often  as  we  deem  prudent,  —  keeping  in  view  the  ser- 
pentine traces  of  our  4  evil  spirit,'  —  necessity  compels  us  to  consider 
ourselves  in  the  light  almost  of  prisoners,  as  under  the  circum- 
stances, without  authority  to  act,  we  feel  that  our  absence  would  be 
less  dangerous  than  our  presence.  Had  we  known,  before  leaving 
the  United  States,  the  wheel-within-a-wheel  process  to  which  the 
case  would  be  subjected,  we  should  have  pursued  an  entirely  dif- 


WAITING    FOR    VERMIFUGE.  407 

ferent  course;  or  if,  immediately  after  our  arrival,  we  could  have 
anticipated  what  we  have  since  learned,  we  should  have  returned 
and  taken  a  new  departure.  However,  l  what  can't  be  cured  must 
be  endured.' 

"The  case  is  a  peculiar  and  intricate  one — in  many  respects  new 
to  us,  and  it  is  to  be. hoped  that  out  of  the  delays,  and  annoyances, 
and  necessities  attending  it  some  good  may  come.  Surely  there  is 
great  room  for  improvement ;  not  so  much,  perhaps,  in  the  efforts 
put  forth  to  meet  the  demands  of  the  case,  as  in  the  requirements  of 
the  treaty  itself.  That  instrument  is  too  ambiguous,  and  not  suffi- 
ciently comprehensive  to  meet  the  exigencies  that  constantly  arise  to 
test  its  provisions,  —  like  the  present  one,  for  instance. 

44  We  continually  and  devoutly  follow  your  injunction, '  Watch  and 
pray  without  ceasing.'  In  fact,  we  '  die  daily/  I  do  the  watching, 
and  Shallcross  does  the  praying.  I  frequently  hear  him  in  pious  yet 
forcible  language  calling  upon  the  saints  to  4  bless'  Worms  and  the 
fellow  who  has  been  so  *  troubled'  by  him,  and  in  various  ways  he 
deports  himself  as  becomes  a  martyr  to  a  good  cause.  His  invoca- 
tions are  all  made  in  secret,  and,  as  he  carefully  avoids  the  '  market- 
place,' he  cannot  be  accused  of  Phariseeism. 

"  Neither  of  us  have  felt  very  well  during  the  past  few  days,  possi- 
bly the  result  of  too  constant  watching  and  praying.  I  rather  incline 
to  the  opinion,  however,  that  our  indisposition  is  superinduced  by 
4  Worms,'  and  earnestly  trust  that  the  preparation  daily  expected 
from  Washington  will  finally  rid  us  of  this  disagreeable  infliction. 
The  4  squirmer '  was  last  evening  seen  driving  through  Great  St. 
James  Street  at  the  rate  of  2-40. 

4i  Very  respectfully, 

4'  Z.  L.  TIDE  ALL,  Special  Agent" 

Meanwhile,  notwithstanding  their  circumspection,  the  spe- 
cial agents  attracted  considerable  attention  from  the  numerous 
frequenters  of  St.  Lawrence  Hall,  and  small  groups  were 
often  observed  in  quiet  conversation,  whose  talk,  as  indicated 
by  sly  glances  and  gestures,  bore  upon  the  unknown  "Yan- 
kees," and  the  probable  business  that  had  called  them,  in  the 
dead  of  winter,  across  the  border.  The  fact  that  they  were 
Americans,  —  as  citizens  of  the  United  States  are  designated 


408  BEGUILED    BY    WORMS. 

in  Canada,  —  whose  movements  were  somewhat  constrained, 
and  whose  stay  at  the  hotel  had  been  unusually  prolonged, 
was  enough  to  excite  a  certain  degree  of  suspicion. 

It  is  a  notorious  fact  that  Canada  offers  an  asylum  for  large 
numbers  of  malefactors  from  the  States,  who,  knowing  the 
nearness  of  the  refuge,  rush  recklessly  into  deeds  of  violence 
and  fraud  that  would  not  otherwise  be  undertaken.  In  the 
streets  of  Montreal,  fugitives  from  justice  boldly  defy  recog- 
nition, and,  if  one  is  occasionally  arrested,  he  relies  confi- 
dently upon  the  complications  of  the  extradition  treaty  to  fur- 
nish the  means  for  escape.  Consequently  but  one  opinion 
prevails  in  regard  to  Americans  whose  sojourn  lacks  the 
freedom  characterizing  the  manners  of  the  tourist :  they  are 
looked  upon  either  as  escaped  law-breakers,  or  detectives ; 
and  as  belonging  to  one  of  the  two  classes  the  representatives 
of  the  post-office  department  were  obviously  regarded. 

Mr.  Shallcross,  a  man  of  mature  years,  strong  physique, 
and  massive  brow,  though  quiet  and  unobtrusive  in  manners, 
could  hardly  fail  anywhere  to  attract  attention  as  a  person  of 
unusual  penetration  and  force.  His  companion,  many  years 
younger,  might  have  been  taken  as  an  attache  of  the  older 
gentleman.  At  any  rate,  both  came  to  be  viewed  as  myste- 
rious strangers,  and  on  several  occasions  were  not  a  little 
annoyed  by  the  inquisitiveness  of  certain  impertinent  char- 
acters, whose  looks  suggested  that  they  might  belong  to  the 
class  whereof  Worms  was  a  conspicuous  ornament,  and  who 
perhaps,  scenting  danger  to  a  confederate,  were  hovering 
about  to  spy  out  the  land. 

At  this  time  it  was  conjectured  by  many  that  W.  M.  Tweed, 
the  boss  ring-master  of  New  York,  was  harbored  in  Montreal. 
As  the  notion  gained  currency,  the  looks  bestowed  upon  the 
inoffensive  representatives  of  the  government  became  more 
marked  and  perplexing.  Ignorant  of  the  cause,  and  fearful 
of  premature  exposure,  Mr.  Shallcross  determined  to  find  out 
the  meaning  of  the  prevalent  curiosity.  Approaching  the 
proprietor  of  the  hotel,  he  inquired,  "Who  are  those  fellows, 
and  why  are  they  continually  watching  me  ?  " 


MISTAKEN    FOR       BOSS    TWEED. 


409 


"Why,  don't  you  know?"  replied  the  landlord;  "they  take 
you  for  'Boss  Tweed,'  but  think  you  have  gone  through 
enough  trouble  already  to  be  entitled  to  what  swag  you  have 
left." 

"  With  a  smile  that  was  childlike  and  bland,"  the  special 
agent  replied,  "All  right;  let  them  keep  on  thinking  so,"  and 
turned  away,  considerably  relieved  at  the  indirect  assurance 
that  the  secret  of  the  mission  was  still  preserved. 

Owing  to  the  delay  of  the  victimized  party  in  coming  to 
Philadelphia,  where  the  forged  document  was  uttered,  to 
initiate  criminal  proceedings,  much  valuable  time  was  lost. 
At  length,  however,  he  reappeared  at  the  scene  of  his  late 
exploit,  and  furnished  the  testimony  which  formed  the  basis 
of  the  claim  for  extradition.  On  the  22d  of  January,  special 
agent  C.  B.  Barrett,  accompanied  by  the  crestfallen  contrac- 
tor for  Indian  supplies,  arrived  in  Montreal,  equipped  with  a 
copy  of  an  indictment,  and  a  warrant  for  the  apprehension 
of  Worms.  When  the  papers  were  submitted  to  Hon.  W.  H. 
Kerr,  Q^.  C.,  counsel  for  the  prosecution,  he  decided  that 
they  did  not  meet  the  requirements  of  the  case,  as  provided 
in  section  3  of  the  extradition  treaty  between  the  govern- 
ments of  the  United  States  and  Great  Britain.  It  was  there- 
fore determined  that  Mr.  Tidball,  who  had  become  thoroughly 
acquainted  with  the  law  as  well  as  the  facts,  should  return  to 
Washington  with  the  view  of  supplying  the  deficiency. 

In  company  with  Mr.  Barrett  and  the  unfortunate  landlord, 
he  started  on  the  afternoon  of  the  24th,  and  leaving  his  com- 
panions in  Philadelphia,  where  certain  additional  papers  were 
to  be  executed,  proceeded  on  to  the  capital  to  procure  the  affi- 
davits of  Secretary  Chandler,  General  B.  H.  Cowen,  assistant 
secretary,  and  others.  Thus  equipped,  he  returned  to  Mont- 
real, picking  up  the  landlord  on  the  road,  and  arriving  on  the 
28th.  The  papers  were  pronounced  correct  by  Mr.  Kerr, 
who  at  once  arranged  to  have  the  matter  brought  before  the 
proper  tribunal. 

The  afternoon  of  the  same  day,  upon  application  in  due 


4io 


BEGUILED    BY   WORMS. 


form,  the  court  issued  a  warrant  for  the  arrest  of  Charles 
Worms,  which  was  placed  in  the  hands  of  High  Constable 
Bissonette  for  immediate  service.  Calling  at  the  residence 
of  the  "doctor,"  —  the  titular  designation  of  the  forger  in  the 
city,  —  and  hearing  that  he  had  gone  on  "  professional  busi- 
ness" to  Sorel,  a  village  fifty  miles  below,  the  officer  started 


"  The  surprise  of  the  gentleman  thus  rudely  awakened  grew  into  wonder,  if 

not  into  dread." 

in  pursuit,  driving  all  night  through  a  pelting  storm  of  snow 
and  sleet,  only  to  learn  in  the  morning  that  the  enterprising 
quack  had  crossed  the  river  to  Berthier,  and  had  departed 
thence  in  the  direction  of  Joliette,  evidently  intending  to  phil- 
anthropically  embrace  the  towns  on  that  route  in  the  home- 
ward journey.  As  the  team  was  too  exhausted  to  press  the 
chase,  the  high  constable  telegraphed  to  a  deputy  to  intercept 
and  arrest  the  accused.  That  official  accordingly  repaired  to 


ARREST    OF    THE    SWINDLER.  41 1 

Hocalaga,  a  small  Indian  village  in  the  environs  of  the  city, 
to  await  the  arrival  of  the  mail  coach,  wherein  he  found  the 
doctor,  snugly  stowed  away  in  a  multitudinous  array  of  lux- 
urious wrappings.  The  surprise  of  the  gentleman  thus 
rudely  awakened  grew  into  wonder,  if  not  into  dread,  on 
further  learning  that  the  deputy  knew  nothing  of  the  nature 
of  the  charge.  Although  greatly  startled,  he  preserved  com- 
plete self-control,  and  with  shrewdness,  heightened  by  long 
experience  in  eluding  punishment  for  evil-doing,  he  succeeded 
in  keeping  silent,  a  difficult  feat  under  similar  circumstances. 
Worms  was  conveyed  to  the  court-house,  and  the  special 
agents  immediately  notified.  In  company  with  the  hotel- 
keeper  they  repaired  thither  to  confront  the  prisoner,  who  in 
the  meantime  had  been  informed  of  the  nature  of  the  accu- 
sation. On  beholding  the  victim  of  his  rascality,  the  pseudo- 
inspector  exhibited  palpable  signs  of  uneasiness,  but  quickly 
recovering  his  wonted  nonchalance  y  responded  monosyllabi- 
cally  to  various  questions,  manifesting  no  disposition  to 
indulge  in  the  pleasures  of  conversation.  He  recognized  the 
landlord,  however,  calling  him  by  name. 

In  reply  to  a  proposition  to  accompany  the  officers  back  to 
the  United  States  free  of  expense,  the  prisoner  replied,  "No, 
I  no  go  back  wid  you.  I  am  a  citizen  of  dis  countree.  I  be 
naturalized  here  in  dis  court-house  more  as  one  year  ago, 
and  nobody  cannot  take  me  out  of  dis  countree.  If  I  be 
dried,  I  must  be  dried  here  in  dis  city." 

"But,"  responded  Mr.  Shallcross,  "you  have  injured  this 
young  man,  who  feels  badly  and  wants  back  the  money  out 
of  which  you  swindled  him." 

"  Dat  be  all  right,"  replied  the  forger.  "  I  knows  all  about 
dis  business.  When  it  come  to  showing  papers,  I  can  bring 
de  docyments  to  prove  dat  oder  persons  have  been  as  much 
to  do  wid  dis  business  as  I  have." 

Here,  at  the  suggestion  of  his  counsel,  Worms  declined  to 
talk,  relapsing  into  a  state  of  stolid  indifference.  By  order 
of  the  court,  he  was  soon  after  remanded  to  jail  for  examina- 
tion the  following  Monday. 


412  BEGUILED    BY    WORMS. 

On  the  3 ist  of  January  the  hearing  began,  and  continued 
till  February  2d,  when  the  judge  decided  to  hold  the  prisoner 
for  extradition.  Thereupon  the  counsel  for  the  defendant  took 
an  appeal  to  the  Court  of  Queen's  Bench,  which,  after  care- 
ful consideration  of  the  law  and  the  testimony,  approved  the 
action  of  the  lower  court,  and  remanded  the  prisoner  to  await 
the  necessary  orders  for  his  delivery  to  the  United  States 
authorities.  Not  yet  ready  to  relinquish  the  fight,  the  pris- 
oner, through  his  attorneys,  applied  for  an  order  of  appeal  to 
the  Supreme  Court  of  the  Dominion.  The  application  was 
granted  under  section  49  of  the  act  of  the  Canadian  Parliament 
of  April  8th,  1875. 

Subsequently  it  was  ascertained  that  this  section  had  not 
been  ratified  by  the  home  government  of  Great  Britain,  and 
hence  was  null  and  void.  Mr.  Kerr  moved  for  a  reconsid- 
eration of  the  order,  and  the  minister  of  justice  for  the  Do- 
minion, upon  hearing  the  argument,  dismissed  the  appeal, 
and  directed  the  prison  authorities  to  deliver  Worms  to  the 
government  of  the  United  States  upon  application  in  due 
form.  When  the  information  was  communicated  to  Mr.  Kerr 
through  Consul-General  Dart,  he  notified  the  post-office  de- 
partment at  Washington  by  telegraph,  requesting  the  imme- 
diate presence  in  Montreal  of  Mr.  Shallcross,  who  had  been 
authorized  and  empowered  by  the  President  of  the  United 
States  to  receive  the  forger,  hold  him  in  custody,  conduct 
him  into  this  country,  and  deliver  him  to  the  proper  authori- 
ties of  Pennsylvania.  Accordingly,  Mr.  Shallcross,  accom- 
panied by  Mr.  Tidball,  left  Washington  the  evening  of  April 
I4th,  and  reached  Montreal  the  morning  of  the  i6th.  As  it 
was  Sunday,  the  officers  remained  quietly  at  the  hotel  until 
evening,  when  they  strolled  about  the  town  to  inspect  the 
localities  which  borrowed  a  transient  interest  from  their  con- 
nection with  the  swindler.  His  dwelling  was  a  two-story 
granite  front,  in  the  old  part  of  the  town,  and,  like  other 
houses  of  the  class,  entirely  free  from  ornament ;  the  double 
doors  and  windows,  due  to  the  severity  of  the  climate,  giving 


THE  DEN    OF    THE    DOCTOR. 


4*3 


the  bleak,  cheerless,  barren  buildings  an  oppressive,  prison- 
like  aspect. 

Even  more  forbidding  than  the  residence  was  the  business 
"depot  "of  the  "doctor."  The  gloomy,  rakish-looking  walls 
suggested  that  the  inner  dens  might  be  the  rendezvous  where 
desperate  characters  congregated  to  plan  nefarious  expedi- 
tions against  the  peace  and  property  of  an  unsuspecting 
public.  Devoted  ostensibly  to  the  manufacture  of  the  "  Boone- 


"  Devoted  ostensibly  to  the  manufacture  of  '  Boonekamp  Bitters,'  the  premises 
were  really  used  for  making  articles  that  belong  to  the  equipment  of  the 
vilest  order  of  quacks." 

kamp  Bitters,"  the  premises  were  really  used  for  making 
articles  that  belong  to  the  equipment  of  the  vilest  order  of 
quacks,  and  that  in  the  States  come  under  the  ban  of  the  law. 
Monday  morning  the  officers  paid  their  respects  to  Mr. 
Kerr,  who  had  completed  the  preliminary  arrangements  for 


414  BEGUILED    BY    WORMS. 

the  transfer  of  the  prisoner.  At  one  o'clock  p.  M.,  Mr.  Shall- 
cross,  with  High  Constable  Bissonette,  repaired  to  the  jail. 
The  astonishment  of  the  swindler  was  equalled  only  by  his 
wrath.  Said  he,  "  I  don't  for  see  by  what  audoritee  you 
take  me.  I  pay  one  hundred  dollar  for  appeal  to  buy  de 
seals  and  de  papers.  What  become  of  mymonish?  For  what 
be  my  hundred  dollar  gone  ?  For  shame  !  for  shame  !  tarn 
shame  ! " 

At  half  past  two  the  parties  were  all  at  the  Grand  Trunk 
Depot,  prepared  to  return  to  the  States.  So  quietly  was  the 
business  conducted  that  not  even  the  most  intimate  associates 
of  Worms  were  apprised  of  the  event  until  some  time  after 
his  removal  from  the  jail. 

On  the  1 8th  the  special  agents  arrived  in  Philadelphia,  and 
brought  the  prisoner  before  a  United  States  commissioner, 
who  committed  him  to  jail,  in  default  of  bail  for  five  thousand 
dollars,  on  the  charge  of  violating  the  postal  laws.  The  next 
morning  he  was  brought  into  the  state  court,  then  in  session, 
and  remanded  to  await  trial  for  forgery,  on  the  indictment 
already  found  by  the  grand  jury. 

While  prosecuting  the  investigation,  the  officers  learned 
that  within  a  comparatively  short  period,  by  the  same  trick, 
varied  only  in  minor  details,  Worms  had  succeeded  in  victim- 
izing parties  living  in  New  York,  St.  Louis,  New  Orleans, 
and  Michigan,  out  of  sums  ranging  from  five  to  ten  thousand 
dollars.  In  the  case  of  the  Michigan  man,  the  substituted 
letter,  containing  sheets  of  blank  paper,  was  registered  to  Sec- 
retary Delano  instead  of  to  the  President.  They  also  learned 
that  at  the  time  of  the  arrest  preparations  were  in  progress  for 
another  swoop  in  the  month  of  March,  in  which  the  great 
"  Inspector  for  the  purchase  of  Indian  supplies  "  confidently 
expected  to  gather  in  twelve  thousand  more. 

Worms  exhibited  a  large  stock  of  recommendations  from 
generals,  colonels,  and  other  prominent  personages.  Some 
were  dated  during  the  time  of  the  war,  and  were  evidently 
inspired  by  genuine  regard  for  the  man.  Without  doubt  he 


THE    TRIAL. 

made  a  popular  quartermaster.  Others  were  of  more  recent 
origin,  and  were  obviously  drawn  out  by  personal  solicitation, 
as  they  opened  for  the  most  part  with  some  such  formula  as 
this  :  "  My  dear  Captain  :  Your  esteemed  favor  of  —  date 
received,  and  it  gives  me  great  pleasure  to  bear  testimony, 
&c."  These  letters  were  used  with  great  effect  in  blinding 
the  eyes  of  victims,  as  it  could  not  be  supposed  that  the  com- 
rade and  familiar  friend  of  eminent  soldiers  would  stoop  to 
the  perpetration  of  a  low  swindle. 

It  is  a  safe  rule  to  beware  of  the  man  who  parades  volumi- 
nous recommendations.  The  worthy  do  not  need  them,  and 
the  self-regardful  do  not  show  them  except  in  emergencies 
of  such  gravity  as  to  demand  the  sacrifice. 

The  country  is  infested  with  thousands  of  rogues  who  sub- 
sist by  swindling  the  unwary.  Hardly  a  week  passes  that 
the  special  agents  of  the  department  do  not  arrest  one  or 
more  for  using  the  mails  in  furtherance  of  some  iniquitous 
scheme.  Probably  many  escape  unharmed  with  the  plunder 
snatched  from  the  credulous,  the  dupes  pocketing  their  losses 
in  silence  rather  than  brave  the  torture  of  confession  and 
exposure. 

The  grand  jury  having  found  a  true  bill  against  Worms, 
his  trial  began  June  7th,  1876,  before  the  United  States 
Court  for  the  Eastern  District  of  Pennsylvania,  Hon.  John 
Cadwallader  presiding. 

The  evidence  against  the  accused  was  overwhelming,  the 
witnesses  for  the  prosecution  corroborating  each  other  in 
every  essential  particular,  and  impressing  upon  the  minds 
of  the  jury  the  positive  guilt  of  the  prisoner.  The  defense 
offered  no  testimony  to  refute  the  charge,  simply  producing 
sundry  w  certificates  of  good  character,"  whereby  they  evident- 
ly hoped  to  raise  a  presumption  that  "  Doctor,"  alias  "  Cap- 
tain "  Worms  was  a  man  of  too  high  standing  to  descend  to 
forgery  and  swindling. 

A  strenuous  effort  was  made  by  the  counsel  for  the  prisoner 
to  prove  that  the  indictment  was  defective  in  charging  the 


416  BEGUILED    BY   WORMS. 

accused  with  the  commission  of  a  forgery  for  the  purpose  of 
defrauding  the  United  States,  whereas  the  evidence  all  went 
to  show,  assuming  the  reality  of  the  crime,  that  it  was  perpe- 
trated to  defraud  an  individual  and  not  the  public. 

The  arguments  of  counsel  closed  at  nine  in  the  evening, 
when  the  court  adjourned  till  the  following  day.  On  reas- 
sembling, his  honor,  Judge  Cadwallader,  addressed  the  jury 
in  a  charge  of  great  length,  in  which  he  critically  reviewed 
the  evidence,  and  interpreted  the  application  of  the  law.  He 
admitted  the  importance  of  the  legal  point  raised  by  the  de- 
fense, instructing  the  jury  that  the  questions  for  them  to 
determine  were,  first,  whether  the  evidence  satisfied  them  that 
a  forgery  had  been  perpetrated ;  and  if  so,  second,  to  deter- 
mine the  nature  and  purport  of  the  forged  instrument,  and 
the  representations  made  in  connection  with  it.  He  further 
charged  that  if  the  evidence  satisfied  them  that  the  prisoner 
had  forged  what  he  represented  to  be  a  bona  jide  contract 
with  the  interior  department,  by  means  of  which  he  had  per- 
petrated a  fraud  upon  any  person,  it  would  be  their  duty  to 
return  a  verdict  of  guilty ;  as  the  law  clearly  determines  that 
a  man  who  commits  an  unlawful  act  for  the  purpose  of  injur- 
ing another  cannot  be  permitted  to  define  the  extent  of  his 
responsibility  therefor.  No  one  is  allowed  to  take  advantage 
of  his  own  wrong.  It  is  contrary  to  law  and  sound  policy 
that  offenders  should  be  suffered  to  limit  the  scope  and  inter- 
pret the  measure  of  their  responsibility  for  criminal  actions. 

At  the  close  of  the  charge  from  the  judge  the  jury  retired 
to  deliberate,  and  returned  in  twenty  minutes  with  a  verdict 
of  "Guilty." 

The  counsel  for  the  prisoner  thereupon  moved  for  a  suspen- 
sion of  sentence,  on  the  plea  that  they  desired  to  make  applica- 
tion in  due  form  for  a  new  trial.  The  court  granted  the  delay. 

For  several  weeks  the  case  remained  in  abeyance.  At 
length,  on  the  ist  of  August,  Judge  Cadwallader  refused  the 
motion  for  a  new  trial,  and  sentenced  Worms  to  pay  a  fine  of 
one  thousand  dollars,  and  to  an  imprisonment  of  four  years. 


ingenuity   and   perse- 
verance   of   the    fraterni- 
ty  of    swindlers   is    only 
equaled  by  the  gullibility  and 
patience  of  their  dupes.    Dur- 
ing the  flush  times  that  fol- 
lowed the  war,  immense  for- 
tunes were  suddenly  acquired 
by  a  class  of  cheats  who  op- 
erated on  the  credulity  of  the 
public  through  gift  enterpris- 
es,  lotteries,   and  other  kin- 
dred schemes.     Most  of  the 
large     concerns     established 
their    headquarters    in    New 
York  city,   flooding   the   en- 
tire country,  particularly  the 
South  and  West,  with  litho- 
graphic  circulars,  written  ap- 
parently with  the  pen  for  the 
exclusive  benefit  of  the  recipient,  and  showing  how  fortunes 
could  be  securely  made  by  remitting  specified  sums  to  the 
houses  in  question.     Some  of  the  bogus  firms  simply  pock- 
eted the  cash  of  correspondents  without  pretending  to  render 
any  equivalent  whatever;  while  others,  no  more  honest,  but 

27 


418  SWINDLERS    AND    THEIR   TRICKS. 

a  little  more  politic,  sent  forth  worthless  jewelry  and  other 
stuff  by  the  bushel. 

One  of  the  most  villanous  and  at  the  same  time  successful 
devices  was  built  up  on  the  offer  of  counterfeit  currency  at  a 
heavy  discount.  In  substance,  the  circulars,  emanating  from 
different  parties,  and  from  the  same  parties  under  different 
names,  were  all  alike.  They  usually  began  with  an  insidious 
compliment  to  the  person  addressed,  to  the  effect  that  from 
trustworthy  sources  the  writer  had  heard  of  him  as  a  man  of 
more  than  ordinary  capacity  and  shrewdness,  and,  embold- 
ened by  the  high  estimate  placed  upon  his  abilities  by  persons 
well  qualified  to  judge,  had  selected  him  as  the  very  individ- 
ual to  aid  in  securing  a  fortune  for  both  with  "  absolute  safety." 
The  circular  usually  goes  on  to  state  that  the  writer  is  a  first- 
class  engraver,  —  indeed  "  one  of  the  most  expert  in  the  United 
States,"  —  while  his  partner  is  a  first-class  printer.  Hence  the 
firm  possess  unrivaled  facilities  for  imitating  the  national  cur- 
rency. The  recipient  is  particularly  cautioned  to  beware  of 
a  class  of  miscreants  who  infest  the  city  of  New  York  and 
advertise  throughout  the  country  the  goods  that  he  manufac- 
tures, but  send  nothing  except  rubbish.  The  "  original  Doctor 
Jacobs "  excoriates  unmercifully  the  whole  tribe  of  swindlers 
whose  rascalities  debauch  and  bring  odium  upon  the  trade. 
He  exhorts  the  gentleman  of  great  reputed  "  shrewdness  and 
sagacity  "  to  observe  the  utmost  caution  in  conducting  opera- 
tions, and  gives  him  explicit  directions  how  to  forward  the 
purchase-money. 

Not  a  few,  on  receipt  of  the  circular  in  an  unfamiliar  hand, 
feel  highly  flattered  at  the  complimentary  allusions  to  their 
personal  qualifications,  and  wonder  how  Wiggins  &  Co.,  five 
hundred  or  a  thousand  miles  away,  ever  heard  of  them.  They 
read  and  re-read  the  missive,  dwelling  with  particular  satisfac- 
tion on  the  references  to  their  shrewdness  and  ability.  It  is 
true  perhaps  that  they  are  troubled  by  a  vague  notion  that 
their  neighbors  have  never  discovered  these  extraordinary 
gifts ;  but  Wiggins  &  Co.  have,  and  that  is  enough. 


THE    PRIZE    OF   MR.  VERDANT. 


419 


If  Mr.  Verdant  knew  how  the  "  expert  engraver  "  happened 
to  send  him  the  letter,  he  would  contemplate  the  fact  with 
much  less  complacency.  Swindlers  employ  agents  directly 
or  indirectly  in  all  parts  of  the  country  to  furnish  the  names 
of  parties  who  are  supposed  to  be  weak,  foolish,  and  particu- 
larly accessible  to  temptation.  Cunning  rascals  make  it  a 
business  in  connection  with  other  nefarious  operations  to  pro- 
cure long  lists  of  such  persons,  which  are  sold  at  high  prices 
to  concerns  engaged  in  perpetrating  popular  swindles.  The 
managers  studiously  avoid  directing  circulars  to  people  reputed 
to  be  either  honest,  or  sufficiently  versed  in  the  wiles  of  the 
world  to  take  care  of  themselves.  S hallo w-pated  knaves 
enjoy  a  complete  monopoly  of  their  favors. 

Despite  repeated  exposures  of  the  frauds,  a  great  many 
innocent  flies  accept  the  invitation  of  the  spiders  to  walk  into 
the  parlor.  When  the  purchase-money  is  sent  in  advance, 
Mr.  Verdant  never  hears  from  his  appreciative  friends,  Wig- 
gins &  Co.,  afterwards.  When  "the  goods  "  are  forwarded  by 
express  C.  O.  D.,  Mr.  Verdant  sidles  nervously  into  the  office 
of  delivery,  and,  having  paid  the  expenses,  ranging  from  ten 
dollars  upwards  into  the  hundreds,  quickly  thrusts  the  pack- 
age out  of  sight,  and  hurries  home  to  seek  for  the  hidden 
treasure  in  the  most  secluded  spot  about  the  premises.  For 
the  world  the  poor  fellow  would  not  permit  his  wife  to  learn 
that  her  husband  is  a  rascal,  dabbling  in  the  "queer."  For  a 
moment  he  lingers  on  the  borders  of  El  Dorado,  not  wishing 
to  terminate  too  abruptly  the  pleasures  of  anticipation,  even 
for  the  more  solid  enjoyment  of  actual  possession.  After  a 
brief,  fond,  and  yet  tremulous  survey  of  the  exterior  of  the 
box,  he  proceeds  to  pry  off  the  cover.  A  neat  fold  of  brown 
paper  appears.  After  carefully  removing  various  wrappings, 
he  finds  at  the  core  a  piece  of  wood,  a  handful  of  saw-dust, 
or  some  other  equally  valuable  prize.  The  countenance, 
lately  radiant  with  the  smiles  of  hope,  suffers  an  unexpected 
eclipse.  The  man  of  renowned  "shrewdness"  and  "discre- 
tion," who  a  moment  before  held  in  his  fingers  the  key  of 


42O  SWINDLERS    AND    THEIR   TRICKS. 

fortune,  in  contemplating"  the  wreck  of  so  many  sweet  illu- 
sions, arrives  slowly  at  the  conviction  that  he  has  been  egre- 
giously  duped  and  swindled »  But  what  recourse  has  the 
victim  of  disappointed  cupidity  ?  A  broad  gulf  like  that 
which  separated  Dives  from  Lazarus  lies  between  him  and 
his  hard-earned  money.  If  he  complains  to  the  authorities 
with  the  view  of  intercepting  the  profits  flowing  from  his  over- 
trustful  hand  toward  the  pockets  of  the  "expert  engraver," 
every  one  in  the  community  will  soon  be  laughing  at  him  as  a 
silly  knave,  who,  in  trying  to  cheat  others,  was  ignominiously 
trapped  by  a  supposed  confederate  on  the  threshold  of  the 
enterprise.  Exposure  and  ridicule  would  be  far  worse  than 
the  loss  of  the  greenbacks.  In  other  troubles  he  finds  con- 
solation in  communing  with  the  wife  of  his  bosom,  but  now 
even  this  solace  is  denied  him.  If  the  experience  nips  the 
swelling  bud  of  dishonesty,  the  investment  will  not  prove 
wholly  unprofitable. 

Not  infrequently  the  gull  writes  again  to  the  "expert  en- 
graver," complaining  of  the  hard  treatment,  and  demanding* 
an  explanation.  With  Wiggins  &  Co.  reasons  are  plenty  as 
blackberries.  The  head  of  that  high-toned  establishment 
replies  that  there  has  been  some  trouble  with  the  police,  and 
that  the  first  package  was  sent  as  a  blind  to  deceive  the  detec- 
tives. On  receipt  of  ten,  twenty,  or  thirty  dollars  more,  not 
only  the  "  perfect  imitations  "  already  in  arrears,  but  a  large 
amount  in  addition  will  be  forwarded  promptly  to  the  previous 
address.  Strange  as  it  may  appear,  a  great  many,  with  the 
memory  of  the  last  fraud  still  rankling  freshly,  send  a  second 
order,  to  be  imposed  upon  again  in  precisely  the  same  way. 

As  the  brood  of  swindlers  make  extensive  use  of  the  mails 
for  the  dissemination  of  lying  circulars,  the  post-office  depart- 
ment has  long  waged  relentless  war  upon  them,  employing 
all  legal  weapons  within  its  reach.  At  different  times  laws 
and  regulations  have  been  framed  for  the  double  purpose  of 
punishing  the  cheats  and  destroying  their  iniquitous  trade. 
Hundreds  of  successful  arrests  have  been  made  by  special 


VIGILANCE    OF    THE    DEPARTMENT.  42! 

agents,  and  hundreds  of  concerns  broken  up,  still  the  struggle 
for  existence  is  maintained  with  an  energy  and  wealth  of 
resource  that,  rightly  directed,  could  hardly  fail,  to  bring 
abundant  and  honorable  returns.  As  long  as  the  harvest  of 
fools  ripens  in  perennial  luxuriance,  it  is  a  difficult  task  to 
drive  away  the  reapers.  With  resolution  untamed  by  fines 
and  imprisonment,  and  ingenuity  that  enables  the  science  of 
attack  to  keep  nearly  abreast  of  the  science  of  defense,  they 
scale  the  walls  and  burst  through  the  weak  spots  in  the  inclos- 
ures.  Great  profits,  won  at  no  risk  of  capital,  tempt  profes- 
sional operators  to  live  in  ignominy  and  brave  constant  peril, 
rather  than  abandon  their  vile  pursuits.  Still  along  the  entire 
length  of  the  line,  with  truly  parental  solicitude,  the  govern- 
ment strives  to  protect  the  ignorant,  the  weak,  and  the  unwary 
from  the  wolves  who  stand  ready  to  devour  them. 

Another  consideration  fully  justifies  the  department  in  its 
vigorous  and  far-reaching  efforts  to  exterminate  the  traffic  of 
the  swindlers.  The  knowledge  that  numerous  valuable  letters 
are  passing  through  the  mails  addressed  to  such  concerns  is  a 
constant  temptation  to  a  certain  class  of  its  employes  to  violate 
the  trusts  committed  to  them,  and  enter  upon  a  course  of  dis- 
honesty. The  post-office  clerk,  or  route  agent,  reasons  with  a 
plausibility  which  satisfies  the  feeble  demands  of  an  easy  con- 
science, that  if  the  letter  is  permitted  to  pass  on  to  its  destina- 
tion, the  inclosure  will  fall  into  the  hands  of  a  professional 
cheat,  and  consequently  he  might  as  well  appropriate  the  con- 
tents himself.  At  all  events,  the  remitter  will  get  no  return 
for  the  venture,  and  the  only  other  party  to  suffer  is  a  misera- 
ble outcast  entitled  to  no  consideration.  Overcome  by  the 
fallacious  but  seductive  argument,  he  falls  and  becomes  a 
thief.  In  a  short  time  he  is  stealing  other  letters,  and  travel- 
ing with  swift  steps  the  broad  road  to  ruin.  Arrest,  trial,  and 
imprisonment  are  likely  to  follow  in  rapid  succession.  Many 
employes,  whose  careers  have  ended  in  early  shame,  might 
have  preserved  their  integrity  had  it  not  been  for  this  particular 
kind  of  temptation.  None  of  us  are  wholly  good  or  wholly  bad, 


422  SWINDLERS   AND    THEIR    TRICKS. 

and  a  majority  perhaps  pass  through  some  period  in  life  where 
influences  less  potent  than  the  one  under  discussion  determine 
whether  the  spirit  of  good  or  evil  is  to  predominate  in  the 
development  of  character.  In  some  cases  the  weight  of  a 
feather  may  turn  the  scale.  The  peril  is  particularly  great  in 
early  youth  before  habits  have  hardened  into  principles.  Now 
it  is  from  the  young  of  the  nation  that  the  ranks  of  the  postal 
service  are  almost  exclusively  recruited.  For  the  sake  of  its 
employes,  and  for  the  protection  of  the  great  interests  com- 
mitted to  them,  the  department  strives  with  tireless  energy  to 
crush  out  of  existence  the  swindling  schemes  which  thus  indi- 
rectly, by  throwing  constant  temptation  in  their  way,  lure 
many  to  ruin. 

Outsiders,  who  open  negotiations  with  rascals  like  the  er  ex- 
pert engraver,"  are  usually  very  careful  to  keep  out  of  sight 
in  the  operation,  and  avoid  all  publicity.  Hence,  on  discov- 
ering the  fraud  practiced  upon  them,  they  make  no  complaint, 
even  permitting  the  most  barefaced  cheats  to  walk  off  unmo- 
lested with  their  booty.  Sometimes,  however,  the  dupes  do 
not  escape  so  easily,  but  lose  reputation  as  well  as  money. 
Often,  too,  the  lightning  strikes  in  very  unexpected  places. 
Illustrations  might  be  multiplied  indefinitely. 

AN  ERRING  SHEPHERD. 

Several  years  ago,  a  preacher  of  the  gospel,  stationed  not  far 
from  the  northern  frontier  of  the  republic,  received  by  mail  one 
of  the  seductive  missives  of  Ragem  &  Co.,  of  New  York  city. 
The  douceur  opened  with  the  usual  complimentary  references  to 
the  peculiar  personal  fitness  of  the  clergyman  for  the  proposed 
enterprise,  and  went  on  to  state  that,  in  exchange  for  genuine 
greenbacks,  Ragem  &  Co.  would  furnish  in  the  proportion  of 
fifty  to  one  imitations  so  absolutely  perfect  that  the  most  expe- 
rienced bank  officers  could  not  distinguish  the  difference. 
Rev.  Zachariah  Sapp,  —  for  such  was  the  euphonious  name 
of  the  preacher,  —  after  an  attentive  perusal  of  the  flattering 
proposal,  deposited  the  document  in  his  coat-pocket  for  con- 


REV.    ZACHARIAH    SAPP. 


423 


venience  of  reference.  Having  pondered  the  subject  for  a 
day  or  two,  he  decided  to  write  to  Ragem  &  Co.  for  more 
explicit  information. 

Divining  with  the  peculiar  instinct  of  the  guild  the  charac- 
ter of  the  fish  now  nibbling  at  the  naked  hook,  the  cheat 
resolved  to  risk  a  little  bait,  and  accordingly  sent  by  return 
mail  a  genuine  one-dollar  note,  with  a  written  invitation  both 
for  a  reply  and  a  personal  conference. 

Never   before    did  ~          . .  ,.-..-.  . 

the  Rev.  Zachariah 
Sapp  subject  a  piece 
of  paper  to  such  scru- 
tiny. Both  with  the 
naked  eye  and  with  a 
microscope,  • —  a  relic 
of  collegiate  days,  — 
he  studied  the  en- 
gravings and  filigree 
work.  Detail  by  de- 
tail he  compared  the 
supposed  imitation 
with  bills  of  known 
genuineness  without 
being  able  to  discov- 
er the  slightest  point 
of  variation  between 
them.  Paper,  print- 
ing, and  engraving 

seemed  to  be  absolutely  perfect.  While  the  study  was  pro- 
gressing, the  imagination  of  the  clergyman  soared  through 
the  empyrean  of  dazzling  expectations.  Why  continue  to 
toil  hard  for  a  small  pittance  when  the  golden  apples  were 
hanging  within  easy  reach?  Why  drag  out  an  existence  in 
penury  when  wealth  and  its  joys  were  thrust  upon  him? 

Zachariah,    however,    was    prudent   and   thrifty  —  indeed 
rather  more  thrifty  in  the  estimation   of  parishioners  than 


Rev.  Zachariah  Sapp. 


424  SWINDLERS    AND    THEIR    TRICKS. 

befitted  one  who  held  by  right  of  faith  a  title-deed  to  mansions 
in  the  skies.  Almost  as  soon  would  he  risk  his  future  inher- 
itance as  peril  on  a  doubtful  venture  the  few  hundred  dollars 
snugly  saved  up  for  a  wet  day  by  prudence  and  economy. 

Not  willing  to  rely  entirely  on  his  own  judgment,  he  rather 
reluctantly  decided  to  call  on  a  banker  in  an  adjacent  town, 
with  whom  he  enjoyed  a  slight  acquaintance.  In  thinking 
the  matter  over  he  was  greatly  perplexed  to  determine  how  to 
introduce  the  subject.  Of  course  it  would  not  answer  to  allow 
the  cashier  to  fathom  his  secret  purpose,  and  yet  he  was 
oppressed  with  a  vague  consciousness  that  only  a  translucent 
film  hid  his  thought  from  the  world.  Once  or  twice,  in  driv- 
ing over  on  the  unfamiliar  errand,  weak  and  irresolute  he 
half  resolved  to  turn  back,  but  greed  finally  prevailed,  and 
he  kept  on  to  the  village. 

With  a  strong  but  unsatisfactory  effort  to  appear  at  ease,  he 
sauntered  into  the  bank.  After  the  usual  interchange  of 
greetings,  he  nervously  remarked,  "Brother  Hyde,  as  I  was 
coming  this  way  to-day  to  call  on  brother  Tompkins,  I  have 
taken  the  liberty  to  drop  in  to  ask  you  a  question  on  a  matter 
in  your  line." 

"Very  well,"  replied  the  banker,  "I  shall  be  happy  to  serve 
you." 

"I  had  a  transaction  a  few  days  ago,"  resumed  the  clergy- 
man, "with  a  peddler,  —  an  entire  stranger  to  me,  —  who  in 
making  change  gave  me  a  number  of  bills  which  I  have  rea- 
son to  suspect  are  counterfeits.  I  desire  your  opinion." 

"Please  let  me  see  them,"  said  Mr.  Hyde. 

He  took  the  one-dollar  note  from, the  hand  of  the  unfaithful 
pastor,  and  after  scanning  it  a  moment,  inquired,  "What  is 
the  matter  with  it?" 

"  Is  it  good  ?  "  queried  the  anxious  owner. 

"I  wish  I  had  my  safe  full  of  the  same  sort,"  answered  the 
banker.  "There  is  nothing  bad  about  the  bill.  What  makes 
you  think  so?  Perhaps  you  have  shown  me  the  wrong  one. 
Let  me  see  the  others." 


VISIONS    OF    AFFLUENCE, 


4*5 


"I  must  have  left  the  rest  at  home,"  replied  the  preacher, 
fumbling  among  the  compartments  of  the  pocket-book. 

Having  accomplished  the  object  of  his  mission  without  per- 
petrating, as  he  thought,  any  disastrous  blunder,  Mr.  Sapp 
brought  the  interview  to  a  close  with  a  few  commonplace 
remarks,  and  hurried  away  to  enjoy  in  solitary  self-com- 
munion the  thick-crowding  visions  of  future  affluence. 


"'Is  it  good?'  queried  the  anxious  owner." 

With  the  last  doubt  satisfactorily  overcome,  the  plans  of  the 
prospective  millionaire  rapidly  took  shape.  He  could  raise 
five  hundred  dollars,  which  at  the  proposed  rate  of  inter- 
change would  purchase  twenty-five  thousand  of  the  "  absolutely 
perfect  imitations."  The  sum  seemed  vast  —  incalculable. 
His  imagination,  hitherto  bound  down  by  the  narrow  circum- 
stances of  remote  rural  life,  staggered  while  trying  to  grasp 
the  conception  of  so  much  wealth.  Like  the  mysteries  of 


426  SWINDLERS    AND    THEIR    TRICKS. 

time  and  space,  it  appeared  too  grand  for  comprehension. 
Then  his  reveries  strayed  into  another  channel.  What  noble 
fellows  were  Ragem  &  Co.  !  Why,  among  forty  millions  of 
people,  did  they  pick  out  him,  an  unknown  clergyman,  living 
in  an  obscure  place  hundreds  of  miles  from  the  metropolis, 
to  be  the  favored  recipient  of  untold  wealth?  Surely,  this  is 
a  special  Providence.  Not  a  sparrow  falleth  to  the  ground 
without  His  knowledge.  He  watches  over  his  own.  Sud- 
denly the  erring  clergyman  feels  a  terrible  pull  at  his  heart- 
strings. What  right  has  he,  about  to  betray  a  sacred  trust, 
and  engage  in  operations  branded  as  infamous  by  the  laws  of 
the  land,  to  claim  the  watchful  care  of  Providence  ?  Will  not 
the  all-seeing  eye  follow  him?  Will  not  the  omnipotent  hand 
strike  him  heavily  in  wrath?  The  poor  man  wipes  the  cold 
perspiration  from  his  forehead,  and  wonders  if  it  will  pay. 

But  he  has  paltered  too  long,  and  now  the  devil  claims  him 
for  his  own. 

Returning  home,  Sapp  wrote  to  Ragem  &  Co.,  stating  the 
amount  of  his  available  resources,  and  saying  that  upon  a 
given  day  and  hour  he  would  meet  them  at  the  appointed  ren- 
dezvous. On  the  following  Sunday,  the  congregation  were 
startled  at  the  close  of  the  afternoon  services  by  an  extraordi- 
nary announcement  from  the  pulpit. 

Before  pronouncing  the  benediction,  the  pastor  said,  "I 
take  this  opportunity  to  communicate  to  you  collectively  a 
piece  of  personal  intelligence  which  I  have  hitherto  kept 
secret.  Under  the  will  of  a  relative  who  recently  died  in  the 
state  of  Michigan,  I  inherit  a  large  sum  —  to  me,  with  my 
humble  wants,  a  very  large  sum.  By  appointment,  I  am  to 
meet  the  executor  of  the  estate  this  week  in  New  York  city 
to  receive  the  first  installment  of  the  legacy.  I  do  not  pro- 
pose to  leave  you,  my  dear  parishioners,  but  to  remain  among 
you  and  toil  with  you  as  I  have  done  for  so  many  years.  A 
goodly  portion  at  least  of  my  inheritance  I  intend  to  invest 
in  this  community,  that  neighbors  and  friends  may  share 
jointly  in  my  prosperity.  I  trust  I  may  be  guided  to  make  a 


ENTERING    THE    DEN. 


427 


wise  use  of  the  talents  thus  unexpectedly,  and  I  may  say 
providentially,  committed  to  my  keeping.  We  know  from 
the  teachings  of  Scripture  that  wealth  brings  great  responsi- 
bilities, and  that  we  shall  be  held  to  a  strict  account  for  the 
manner  in  which  we  employ  it.  May  your  prayers  go 
with  me." 

The  congregation  crowded  around  the  pastor  with  congrat- 
ulations. Particularly  demonstrative  were  the  ebullitions  of 
two  or  three  brothers  who  saw  a  chance  of  exchanging  sun- 
dry unsalable  possessions  for  slices  in  the  inheritance. 

Mr.  Sapp  reached  New  York  city  in  the  evening,  and  the 
momentous  interview  was  to  take  place  at  an  early  hour  the 
next  day.  Sleep  came  in  brief  and  fitful  snatches.  But  the 
stars  roll  on  in  their  majestic  spheres,  regardless  of  mortal 
hopes  and  fears.  At  length  day  broke,  when  the  preacher 
rose  from  bed  anxious  and  unrefreshed.  A  little  before  the 
appointed  time  he  proceeded  to  a  certain  building,  and  hav- 
ing mounted  two  flights  of  stairs,  saw  the  magic  number  on 
the  door  in  front  of  him.  As  the  clock  struck  he  entered. 
Agreeably  to  a  preconcerted  plan,  he  wiped  the  right  corner 
of  his  mouth  with  a  white  handkerchief,  and  nodded  three 
times.  The  only  person  in  the  room,  a  well-dressed  and  ap- 
parently affable  gentleman,  responded  by  wiping  the  left  cor- 
ner of  his  mouth  with  a  red  silk  handkerchief,  and  nodding 
three  times.  The  signal  is  correctly  answered  :  it  is  he  !  So 
far  all  works  beautifully,  with  every  promise  kept.  The  bill 
was  a  perfect  imitation ;  the  engraver  is  on  hand  to  a  second. 

"  Two  truths  are  told, 
As  happy  prologues  to  the  swelling  act 
Of  the  imperial  theme." 

The  fellow  passing  under  the  name  of  Ragem  &  Co.  wel- 
comed the  new  arrival  cordially.  "Ah,"  said  he,  "your 
promptness  and  circumspection  show  that  I  am  not  disap- 
pointed in  my  man.  I  see  that  you  come  up  to  the  full  meas- 
ure of  my  expectations.  Do  you  know  I  am  a  remarkable 


428  SWINDLERS    AND    THEIR    TRICKS. 

judge  of  character?  In  fact,  I  seldom  or  never  make  a  mis- 
take. We  are  both  in  luck." 

w  I  was  trained  to  punctuality  from  early  youth,"  replied  the 
preacher ;  and  proceeding  directly  to  business,  without  fur- 
ther circumlocution,  continued,  "I  succeeded  in  raising  five 
hundred  dollars,  which  entitles  me  under  the  agreement  to 
twenty-five  thousand." 

From  an  inner  pocket,  after  removing  a  number  of  pins, 
he  produced  six  one  hundred  dollar  notes,  saying,  by  way  of 
explanation,  "For  greater  security  I  converted  my  funds  into 
bills  of  large  denomination.  One  I  reserve  for  contingencies  ; 
the  other  five  are  for  you." 

"Your  money  is  here  in  the  safe,"  said  Ragem,  taking  the 
five  notes,  and  turning  toward  the  safe  as  if  to  unlock  it. 
But  the  scoundrel  evidently  reasoned  that  it  would  be  silly  to 
remain  content  with  the  five  when  he  could  just  as  easily  cap- 
ture the  sixth. 

Walking  back,  he  remarked,  "I  want  to  show  you  that  my 
large  bills  are  just  as  perfect  as  the  small  ones  ;  "  and,  as  if  for 
purposes  of  comparison,  he  took  the  remaining  note  from  the 
hand  of  the  clergyman. 

At  this  moment  began  a  fearful  knocking  on  a  side  door, 
that  threatened  the  speedy  demolition  of  the  frail  barrier. 
"  Run,  run,"  whispered  Ragem,  as  if  in  the  extremity  of 
terror,  "the  police  are  on  us." 

The  preacher  needed  no  second  invitation,  fear  of  exposure 
giving  wings  to  his  feet.  Almost  at  a  bound  he  cleared  the 
two  flights  of  stairs  and  emerged  into  the  street,  walking  sev- 
eral blocks,  and  turning  a  number  of  corners  before  he  dared 
to  look  back. 

The  bona  fide  occupant  of  the  room  where  these  parties 
met,  had  no  share  whatever  in  the  nefarious  transactions  car- 
ried on  there.  Through  the  treachery  of  the  janitor,  Ragem 
was  permitted  at  certain  hours  to  make  use  of  the  apartment 
for  the  purpose  of  keeping  appointments  with  his  victims.  A 
confederate  stationed  on  the  outside  delivered  the  knocks  as 


RETRIBUTION, 


429 


soon  as  customers  were  plucked,  and  it  became  desirable  to 
get  rid  of  their  company.  Occasional  hints  of  improper 
practices  reached  the  ear  of  the  real  lessee,  but  these  had 
never  yet  taken  such  shape  as  to  give  a  decisive  clue  to  the 
trouble,  dupes"  for  the  most  part  pocketing  their  losses  in 
silence. 


"I  have  heard  of  you  before.    You  are  the  villain,  are  you,  who  has  been 
turning  my  office  into  a  den  of  thieves?    I  have  caught  you,  at  last !  " 

After  an  interval  of  two  or  three  hours,  Mr.  Sapp  plucked 
up  courage  to  return.  Having  mounted  the  stairs,  he  entered 
the  room  warily.  His  late  partner  was  not  there.  A  stalwart 
gentleman,  who  seemed  to  be  the  proprietor,  looked  up  in- 
quiringly, and  was  not  a  little  puzzled  when  the  visitor  sup- 
plemented the  performance  of  wiping  the  right  corner  of  his 
mouth  by  three  deliberate  nods.  "What  can  I  do  for  you 
to-day?"  inquired  the  gentleman,  rising. 


43°  SWINDLERS    AND    THEIR    TRICKS. 

"You  are,  I  presume,  a  partner  of  Mr.  Ragem,"  answered 
Sapp.  "I  see  he  is  out.  Our  business  this  morning  was 
unfortunately  interrupted  by  the  police,  and  I  have  returned 
to  complete  it." 

"  What  business  ? "  asked  the  proprietor,  in  undisguised 
astonishment. 

Now  the  preacher  made  the  very  natural  mistake  of  sup- 
posing that  the  surprise  manifested  by  his  interlocutor  was  a 
mere  matter  of  policy  and  caution.  Hence  he  proceeded  to 
explain.  "  Ragem  must  have  told  you.  I  am  the  gentleman 
who  gave  him  the  five  hundred  dollars,  and  he  said  that  my 
twenty -five  thousand  were  locked  up  in  the  safe." 

The  proprietor  did  not  wait  to  hear  more,  but  seizing  the 
affrighted  creature  by  the  collar,  thundered  forth,  "I  have 
heard  of  you  before.  You  are  the  villain,  are  you,  who  has 
been  turning  my  office  into  a  den  of  thieves?  I  have  caught 
you  at  last !  " 

Awaking  to  a  partial  comprehension  of  the  situation,  the 
poor  wretch  stammered  forth,  "There  must  be  some  mis- 
take. My  name  is  a'  —  is  a'  —  is  a'  Smith  —  Smith — John 
Smith." 

"John  Smith,  is  it?"  growled  the  proprietor.  "Well, 
all  I  have  to  say  is,  John  Smith,  if  not  the  biggest  is  the 
most  numerous  rascal  in  the  city.  John,  come  along  to  the 
police  station." 

And  John  went,  billows  of  trouble  rolling  over  him  as  the 
waters  of  the  Red  Sea  closed  over  Pharaoh.  Vain  the 
effort  to  recall  consolatory  texts  pertinent  to  the  occasion! 
He  was  sorely  chastened  indeed,  but  the  stripes  were  inflicted 
not  in  love  but  in  wrath.  He  mourned,  yet  whence  could  he 
look  for  comfort? 

To  avoid  a  worse  fate,  the  prisoner  revealed  his  identity,  ex- 
hibited the  correspondence  from  "Ragem  &  Co.,"  and  made 
a  full  statement  of  the  facts.  The  painful  news  reached  the 
church  shortly  after  the  return  of  the  pastor,  when  his  pulpit 
career  came  to  an  ignominious  end.  He  soon  removed  to  the 


HIDING    IN    THE    WILDERNESS. 


431 


far  west,  hoping  to  bury  his  disgrace  in  the   shades  of  the 
primeval    forest. 

The  fall  of  Rev.  Zachariah  Sapp  sounds  a  note  of  warning 
not  without  its  lessons.  The  only  safety  in  dealing  with 
temptation  is  to  repel  its  insidious  approaches  from  the  outset. 
Whoever  listens  in  patience  to  the  siren  whisper  is  half  lost 
already.  Human  experience  abundantly  confirms  the  divine 
wisdom  of  the  command,  "Get  thee  behind  me,  Satan,"  as  the 
one  sole  safe  way  of  meeting  evil  advances.  At  the  close 
of  well-spent,  useful  lives,  myriads  can  thank  a  kind  Provi- 
dence, not  that  they  have  been  stronger  than  others  who  have 
turned  out  differently,  but  that  they  have  been  tried  less. 
Walking  among  unseen  perils,  none  can  without  danger  of 
ruin,  discard  even  for  a  moment  the  armor  of  honesty  and 
truth. 

"  Oftentimes,  to  win  us  to  our  harm, 
The  instruments  of  darkness  tell  us  truths; 
Win  us  with  honest  trifles,  to  betray  us 
In  deepest  consequence." 

For  the  most  part,  only  the  ignorant  and  inexperienced 
fall  into  the  trap  which  caught  the  Rev.  Zachariah  Sapp. 
Occasionally,  however,  men  of  some  local  reputation  for 
sharpness  enter  into  negotiations  with  the  swindlers  and 
become  pretty  deeply  involved  before  they  discover  their 
bearings. 

AN  ASPIRANT  FOR  CONGRESS. 

A  few  years  ago,  the  "Hon."  John  Whimpery  Brass,  of 
Georgia,  one  of  the  "  thoughtful  patriots  "  of  the  period,  who 
now  and  then  found  time  to  lay  aside  the  cares  of  state-craft 
to  nurse  little  private  jobs  of  his  own,  allured  by  the  seductive 
offers  of  "Wogan  &  Co.,"  of  New  York  city,  wrote  to  that 
somewhat  mythical  concern  proposing  to  become  their  agent 
for  the .  circulation  of  the  tr  queer."  Even  after  receiving  the 
first  installment  of  their  wares,  the  honorable  gentleman  did 
not  comprehend  that  the  firm  dealt  exclusively  in  saw-dust, 


432 


SWINDLERS    AND    THEIR    TRICKS. 


not  in  currency.  He  wrote  again,  complaining  that,  after  a 
journey  of  sixty  miles  over  a  rough  road  to  the  nearest 
reliable  express  office,  he  found  nothing  but  a  worthless 
package,  marked  "C.  O.  D.,"  awaiting  him.  Did  Wogan  & 
Co.  distrust  either  his  parts  or  fidelity?  He  ventured  to 
assert  that  no  man  in  the  state  could  serve  them  so  effectu- 
ally. He  had  just  run  for  Congress,  and  though  beaten 
at  the  polls  by  "fraud,"  intended  to  contest  the  seat  with 

the  chances  of  suc- 
cess in  his  favor. 
The  mountaineers 
among  whom  he 
lived  did  not  care 
whether  the  money 
in  their  pockets  was 
good  or  bad  so  long 
as  it  circulated.  He 
could  put  thousands 
of  counterfeits  afloat 
without  the  slightest 
fear  of  detection. 
His  constituency  be- 
lieved in  him  and 
would  stand  by  him. 
Currency  was  very 
scarce  in  that  con- 
gressional district, 

and  it  would  really  be  doing  his  people  a  great  favor  to  give 
them  more.  After'  setting  forth  the  mutual  benefits  to  accrue 
from  trusting  him,  he  appealed  to  Wogan  &  Co.  with  the 
vehemence  and  energy  of  the  sewing-machine  man,  or  life- 
insurance  agent,  to  send  on  the  goods  without  further  delay. 
They  should  never  regret  dealing  with  him,  his  character 
and  standing  being  a  sufficient  guaranty  that  he  could  not  play 
false.  He  was  acting  in  good  faith,  and  expected  like  treat- 
ment in  return. 


The  Aspirant. 


FROM    BAD    TO    WORSE. 


433 


Unfortunately  for  the  political  aspirations  of  "  Hon."  John 
Whimpery  Brass,  the  authorities  not  long  after  made  a 
descent  upon  the  den  of  Wogan  &  Co.,  finding  a  great 
many  letters  from  credulous  fools,  and  a  large  supply  of 
saw-dust  —  their  only  stock  in  trade.  The  missives  of  the 
prospective  congressman  were  published,  thus  gaining  much 
more  extensive  currency  than  he  proposed  to  give  to  the 
imitation  greenbacks.  It  was  supposed  that  the  noisy  fellow 
would  slink  away  to  some  cave  in  his  native  mountains,  and 
never  show  his  brazen  face  among  honest  people  again.  But 
the  impudence  of  "  Hon."  John  Whimpery  Brass  rose  to  the 
level  of  the  emergency.  Instead  of  hiding  or  hanging  him- 
self, he  published  a  card  representing  that  he  embaVked  in 
the  scheme  for  the  purpose  of  entrapping  Wogan  &  Co.  and 
bringing  them  to  justice. 

Pathetic  was  the  spectacle,  showing  the  confidence  of  an 
ingenuous  soul  in  its  own  prowess,  of  the  volunteer  detective, 
digging  parallels  on  the  southern  spurs  of  the  Blue  Ridge  for 
the  capture  of  the  wily  swindler  a  thousand  miles  away ! 
Armed  with  a  kernel  of  corn,  the  doughty  gosling  sets 
forth  to  catch  the  wicked  fox  that  is  preying  on  the  flock  ! 
If  the  bold  mountaineers,  the  constituency  of  "  Hon."  John 
Whimpery  Brass,  cannot  commend  the  discretion  displayed 
by  the  projector  of  the  enterprise,  they  must  certainly  ad- 
mire his  pluck.  In  face  of  the  odds,  few  goslings  would 
volunteer. 

Perhaps  the  card  might  have  been  accepted  by  the  more 
trustful  class  of  adherents  as  a  satisfactory  explanation  of  the 
letters,  had  not  the  aspiring  statesman  in  course  of  time 
fallen  under  the  ban  of  the  law  for  defrauding  widows  of  their 
pensions,  the  campaign  against  Wogan  &  Co.  having  so 
completely  exhausted  the  virtue  of  the  amateur  who  planned 
it,  as  to  leave  no  residue  to  fructify  in  subsequent  opera- 
tions. 

28 


434  SWINDLERS    AND    THEIR    TRICKS. 

THE  FORTUNE  OF  SETH  SAVAGE. 

At  one  time  the  bogus-lottery  men  drove  a  thrifty  business, 
but  the  efforts,  virtually  co-operative,  of  the  post-office  de- 
partment and  of  the  legislatures  of  the  older  states,  have 
latterly  pretty  effectually  forced  them  into  the  wilderness. 
The  managers  forage  on  the  same  class  of  people  as  the 
saw-dust  swindlers,  procuring  lists  of  names  in  the  same 
way.  A  common  method  of  procedure  is  to  inclose  with 
advertisements  announcing  the  prizes,  together  with  the 
place  and  date  of  drawing,  one  or  more  tickets  duly  num- 
bered. Great  confidence  is  expressed  in  the  personal  fitness 
of  the  party  addressed,  who  is  requested  to  act  as  agent  for 
the  sale  of  the  tickets.  A  few  weeks  later  another  letter  is 
sent  to  the  intended  victim,  informing  him  that  the  ticket  of  a 
given  number  forwarded  to  him  at  such  a  date  had  drawn 
a  prize,  the  value  of  which  is  variously  stated  from  a  few 
hundred  to  many  thousand  dollars.  He  is  then  requested  to 
send  immediately  ten  dollars  —  more  or  less  —  for  the  ticket, 
perhaps  ten  or  twenty  more  for  additional  charges,  when  the 
full  face  value  of  the  prize  will  be  forwarded  promptly  by 
express,  check  on  New  York,  or  in  any  other  way  the  recipi- 
ent may  direct.  He  is  also  told  to  ante-date  the  letter,  the 
intermediary  promising  to  blur  the  postmark  to  correspond, 
so  that  the  remittance  may  appear  to  have  been  made  prior 
to  the  drawing.  In  conclusion  the  writer  adroitly  suggests 
that  he  desires  the  fortunate  man  to  exhibit  the  money  to  his 
neighbors,  stating  how  he  obtained  it,  and  mentioning  par- 
ticularly the  address  of  the  agent  from  whom  the  ticket  was 
purchased,  the  object  being  to  create  an  excitement  in  the 
place  with  a  view  to  large  sales  for  the  next  drawing. 

Even  of  a  trick  as  transparent  as  this  the  victims  are 
counted  by  thousands,  exposures  and  warnings  being  alike 
disregarded.  The  infatuation  of  a  certain  class  of  ignorant 
and  credulous  people  is  well  illustrated  by  the  case  of  Seth 
Savage,  a  poor  man  possessed  of  a  few  acres  in  the  vicinity 


SETH    EXCITED. 


435 


of  a  small  village  in  Vermont.  One  day,  when  a  special 
agent  of  wide  experience  happened  to  be  visiting  the  post- 
office,  Seth  received  a  letter,  the  perusal  of  which  threw 
him  into  a  frenzy  of  excitement. 

"What  is  the  matter?"  inquired  the  postmaster.  "You 
seem  to  have  good  news." 

"Look  a-here,"  replied  Seth,  holding  forth  the  missive  in 


"  Look  a-here,  replied  Seth,  holding  forth  the  missive  in  his  shriveled  and 

bony  fingers." 

his  shriveled  and  bony  fingers,  "  for  nigh  on  to  sixty-five 
year,  Mr.  Martin,  IVe  fit  and  work'd  and  work'd  and  fit 
jest  for  my  vittles  and  drink.  Neow  when  I'm  tew  old  tew 
'joy  it,  a  fortin  comes  to  me." 

"Is  that  so?"  answered  Mr.  Martin.  "I  am  very  glad;  but 
tell  me,  what  is  it?  Your  neighbors  will  all  be  glad  to  hear 
of  your  good  luck." 


436  SWINDLERS    AND    THEIR    TRICKS. 

"  Read  that,''  said  Seth,  handing  him  the  letter  trium- 
phantly. 

The  postmaster  read  the  manuscript.  One  Dewitt  of  New 
York  city  assured  Mr.  Savage  that  a  certain  ticket  sent  to  him 
a  month  before  had  drawn  a  prize  of  three  thousand  dollars ; 
that  on  receipt  of  thirty-five  dollars  in  a  letter  ante-dated 
according  to  directions,  the  full  amount  would  be  forwarded 
to  him. 

"Surely,  Seth,"  expostulated  the  postmaster,  "you  are  not 
going  to  be  fooled  in  this  way.  Dewitt  is  a  humbug,  a 
swindler." 

"  Neow,  heow  dew  yeou  know  that?  "  inquired  Seth.  "  Has 
he  ever  fool'd  yeou  ?  " 

"  I  don't  deal  with  that  sort  of  people,"  replied  Mr.  Mar- 
tin, mildly.  "  I  dislike  to  see  any  one  wronged,  especially  a 
neighbor.  Here  is  a  gentleman  who  knows  all  about  such 
matters."  And  Seth  was  formally  introduced  to  the  special 
agent,  who  took  pains  to  explain  the  character  of  the  swindle 
fully. 

The  officer  left  the  village  with  the  pleasant  assurance  that 
his  brief  visit  had  contributed  at  least  toward  the  rescue  of  one 
poor  object  from  the  jaws  of  the  devourer. 

After  all,  however,  Seth  was  not  convinced.  By  selling 
his  only  cow  he  managed  to  swell  his  scanty  stock  of  cash  to 
the  requisite  sum,  which  he  sent  to  Dewitt,  fully  expecting  to 
be  able  in  a  few  days  to  confound  the  postmaster  by  the  actual 
display  of  his  newly  gotten  wealth.  The  dupe,  who  had  in- 
vested a  goodly  portion  of  his  scanty  means  in  the  venture, 
waited  long  if  not  patiently.  At  length,  after  the  expiration 
of  the  last  hope,  Mr.  Martin  inquired,  "  How  did  it  happen, 
Seth,  that  you  threw  away  your  money  on  that  lottery  scamp, 
when  we  showed  you  that  the  whole  thing  was  a  cheat?  " 

"Wall,  neow,  arter  it's  all  lost,"  replied  Seth,  "  Til  tell  yeou 
jest  heow  'twas.  Human  natur'  is  natrally  suspectin'.  I  tho't 
yeou  and  that  ar'  t'other  post-offis  fellah  want'd  to  git  the 
prize  for  yeourselfs ;  an'  I  didn't  mean  to  be  beat  so." 


FRESH    VICTIMS. 

A  WISH  UNEXPECTEDLY  GRATIFIED. 

When  the  bogus-lottery  men  were  driven  out  of  the  large 
cities  by  the  vigor  of  the  postal  authorities,  they  tried  for  a 
while  to  operate  from  small  country  towns  by  collusion  with 
dishonest  postmasters.  As  the  delinquencies  of  the  offenders 
were  successively  brought  to  light,  their  heads  rolled  into  the 
basket  at  the  foot  of  the  official  guillotine.  The  swindlers, 
however,  succeeded  in  bribing  fresh  victims,  and  for  a  time 
cunning  and  duplicity  managed  with  tolerable  success  to 
maintain  a  foothold  against  the  power  of  the  department. 

Among  other  similar  swindles,  sealed  circulars  were  at  one 
time  scattered  broadcast  over  the  more  remote  states,  announc- 
ing that  on  a  given  date  the  drawing  for  a  series  of  magnifi- 
cent prizes  would  take  place  at  Livingston  Hall,  No.  42 
Elm  Avenue,  Wington  Junction,  Connecticut.  Patrons  were 
urged  to  remit  the  purchase-money  for  tickets  promptly,  as 
there  wrould  be  no  postponement  of  the  grand  event  under 
any  circumstances.  "Fortune,"  continued  the  glittering  ad- 
vertisement, "  knocks  once  at  every  one's  door,  and  she  is 
now  knocking  at  yours." 

As  usual,  multitudes  swallowed  the  bait,  but  some,  instead 
of  sending  the  greenbacks  to  Highfalutin  &  Co.,  forwarded 
the  circulars  to  the  department.  Thereupon  special  agent 
Sharretts  was  instructed  to  visit  Wington  Junction,  with  the 
view  of  learning  whether  the  postmaster  was  properly  dis- 
charging his  duties.  Taking  an  early  opportunity  to  per- 
form the  mission,  he  alighted  at  the  station  one  morning, 
and  proceeded  to  survey  the  town,  which  consisted  of  four 
or  five  houses  scattered  along  the  highway  for  a  distance 
of  half  a  mile.  "Livingston  Hall"  and  "Elm  Avenue"  were 
nowhere  visible.  It  was  apparent  that  "No.  42"  on  any 
avenue  was  a  remote  contingency  not  likely  to  arise  in  the 
present  generation. 

Having  previously  ascertained  that  the  postmaster  was 
also  switch-tender  at  the  junction,  and  that  the  cares  of  the 


SWINDLERS    AND    THEIR    TRICKS. 

office  devolved  on  his  wife,  the  officer  walked  up  to  a  keen- 
looking  man  in  front  of  the  little  round  switch-house,  whose 
energies  were  devoted  exclusively  at  that  moment  to  the  mas- 
tication of  a  huge  quid  of  tobacco,  and  who,  after  a  prolonged 
scrutiny  of  the  stranger,  answered  his  salutation  in  an  atten- 
uated drawl,  "Meornin',  sir." 

"  Will  you  be  kind  enough  to  tell  me,  sir,  where  Mr.  Morris, 
the  postmaster,  can  be  found?"  asked  the  agent. 

"Wall,  I  guess  my  name's  Morris.  What  kin  I  do  fur 
yeou  ?  " 

"  Mr.  Morris,  I  should  like  a  few  minutes'  private  conversa- 
tion on  business  of  great  importance,  which  can  be  so  man- 
aged as  to  turn  out  advantageously  to  us  both.  I  do  not  wish 
to  be  overheard  or  interrupted.  In  these  times  even  blank 
walls  have  ears,  you  know." 

The  last  suggestion  seemed  to  serve  as  a  passport  to  the 
confidence  of  the  postmaster.  Leading  the  way  into  the 
switch-house,  he  remarked,  "Come  in  heear.  Neow,  what 
is  it?" 

"The  fact  is,  Mr.  Morris,  some  friends  of  mine  propose  to 
go  into  a  little  speculation,  which  will  involve  a  large  corre- 
spondence ;  and  for  reasons  that  I  need  not  specify  to  a  man 
like  you,  they  do  not  wish  to  have  every  rag-tag,  bobtail 
post-office  clerk  poring  over  their  letters,  and  asking  imper- 
tinent questions  at  the  delivery-window.  If  they  can  find  a 
shrewd,  square  man,  who  knows  how  to  keep  his  mouth  shut, 
and  who,  can't  be  fooled,  that  for  a  handsome  consideration 
will  put  the  letters  away  in  a  safe  place  till  called  for,  they 
are  willing  to  make  an  arrangement  that  will  be  profitable  all 
around.  You  have  been  recommended  as  just  the  person.  I 
am  told  that  you  generally  know  which  side  your  bread  is 
buttered,  and  have  called  to  see  if  we  can't  arrange  to  pull 
together." 

"  'NufF  said,"  ejaculated  Morris,  with  a  sly  wink.  "I  know 
what  yeou  want,  but  my  wife  is  the  one  to  fix  things.  I  don't 
have  nuthin'  to  dew  with  the  letters.  Sue  'tends  to  everything. 


TOO  SHARP  FOR  THE   DEETECTERS."         439 

The  folks  as  we'se  a-workin'  for  said  we  must  be  plaguey  keer- 
ful  about  the  deetecters.  I'll  bet  nun  on  'em  can't  play  it  on 
my  wife  tho'.  If  they  dew,  they'll  have  to  git  up  arly  in  the 
mornin'." 

With  that  he  thrust  his  head  out  of  the  window,  and  veiled, 
"Sue!  Sue!" 

As  the  sound  died  away,  a  tall,  raw-boned  female,  from 
whose  cheeks  the  bloom  of  youth  had  faded  a  number  of 
years  before,  emerged  from  the  side  door  of  a  two-story  cot- 
tage, about  eighty  rods  distant,  and  walked  briskly  to  the 
switch-house,  where  she  was  introduced  to  the  stranger  as 
"my  wife." 

After  a  little  preliminary  skirmishing,  she  invited  the  agent 
to  go  over  to  the  cottage.  Having  been  duly  ushered  into  the 
"best  room,"  he  embellished  for  her  benefit  the  story  already 
told  to  the  husband. 

"I  think  I  kin  'commodate  yeou,"  she  broke  forth,  "but 
yeou'll  have  to  pay  putty  well  for't.  Laws  me,  I'm  told  —  and 
I've  ways  o'  heerin'  'bout  these  things  —  that  the  deetecters  are 
jest  as  likely  as  not  to  come  a-swoopin'  deown  enny  minnit. 
Yeou  know,  if  they  feound  it  out,  we'd  be  smash'd." 

Her  terms  were  ten  dollars  a  week.  Highfalutin  &  Co. 
paid  six,  but  she  understood  the  business  a  great  deal  better 
now  than  when  she  made  the  bargain  with  them.  The  agent 
thought  the  price  rather  high,  but  finally  consented  to  contract 
at  that  figure. 

Then,  as  if  troubled  by  an  after-thought,  he  said,  "Madam, 
how  do  I  know  but  some  of  these  *  deetecters'  may  come 
around,  and,  seeing  my  letters,  get  me  into  difficulty?" 

"Why,  laws  a'  mercy,"  said  she,  "don't  be  skeer'd.  Yeou 
jest  leave  that  to  me.  The  minnit  them  air  letters  gits  here,  I 
hides  'em  in  that  bewro-draw'r,"  pointing  to  an  article  of  fur- 
niture in  the  corner. 

"Is  it  a  safe  place?"  queried  the  agent. 

"  Yas,  it  is,"  answered  the  woman.  "  Got  it  half  full  neow. 
Carry  the  key  in  my  pocket." 


SWINDLERS    AND    THEIR    TRICKS. 

She  gave  a  grin,  intended  for  a  knowing  smile,  in  admira- 
tion of  her  own  cleverness. 

"  I  believe  the  hiding-place  is  tolerably  secure,"  replied  the 
officer,  with  the  air  of  one  who  desired  to  be  convinced,  but 
had  not  yet  reached  the  point  of  full  assurance. 

"  Yeou  seem  to  be  very  particl'r  and  diffikilt  to  satisfy,"  con- 
tinued Mrs.  Morris;  "but,  if  yeou  don't  believe  it,  jest  come 
and  see  for  you'sef." 

She  led  the  way  to  the  bureau,  opened  the  drawer,  and, 
raising  a  plaid  cotton  handkerchief,  displayed  the  contraband 
letters  by  the  score.  All  were  directed  to  the  lottery  firm,  and 
were  turned  over  to  the  knave  from  time  to  time  as  it  suited 
his  convenience  to  call  for  them.  As  no  such  firm  did  busi- 
ness at  Wington  Junction,  it  was  the  duty  of  the  postmaster  to 
forward  to  the  department,  as  fictitious  and  undeliverable,  all 
letters  bearing  the  address  of  the  swindlers.  In  similar  cases 
neglect  to  obey  the  regulation  was  treated  as  sufficient  ground 
for  instant  removal. 

More  fully  pleased  with  the  result  of  the  examination  than 
the  woman  surmised,  the  officer  resumed  :  "  I  see  you  are  very 
particular  about  your  methods  of  doing  business,  and  do  not 
mean  to  be  caught  napping.  The  arrangement  we  are  about 
to  enter  into  is  a  very  important  one,  and,  as  you  are  not  post- 
master, your  husband  will  have  to  be  present  to  witness  and 
ratify  the  bargain." 

"  Bless  yeour  soul,"  replied  she,  "it's  all  right.  I  'tend  to 
all  the  biznis.  My  husband  doesn't  bother  hissef  abeout  it  in 
the  least." 

"Madam,"  answered  the  officer,  "pardon  me.  I  had  my 
training  in  a  large  city,  and  am  accustomed  to  pay  minute 
attention  to  'every  detail.  Your  husband  is  the  principal  in 
this  case,  and  must  ratify  the  agreement  to  make  it  binding. 
Of  course  you  will  derive  all  the  benefit,  but  his  presence  is 
essential  as  a  matter  of  form." 

Apparently  satisfied,  she  called  for  "John,"  who  replied 
promptly  to  the  summons. 


THE    SELF-CONFIDENT    SUE    OVERMATCHED.  441 

"Mr.  Morris,"  said  the  officer,  "your  wife  has  agreed  to 
keep  my  letters  for  me  — " 

"Yaas,"  broke  in  the  postmaster.  "I  know'd  she  would. 
Yeou'll  find  she'll  dew  it  right,  tew.  Nobody  can't  come  enny 
tricks  on  her  —  can  they,  Sue  ?  I  wish  one  o'  'em  durn'd  deetec- 
ters  would  come  areound,  jest  tew  see  heow  she'd  pull  the  wool 
over  'im.  I  wudn't  ax  enny  better  fun  ;  "  and  he  indulged  in 


"  •  Bless  yeour  soul,'  replied  she, '  it 's  all  right.    I  'tend  to  all  the  biznis.' » 

a  fit  of  loud  cachinnation  at  the  absurdity  of  supposing  that 
any  one  could  match  in  sharpness  his  own  beloved  Sue. 

"The  letters  will  come  to  that  address,"  said  the  agent, 
pulling  out  his  commission  from  the  postmaster-general,  and 
exhibiting  it  to  the  pair. 

Taking  in  the  purport  of  it  at  a  glance,  Morris  jumped  sev- 
eral inches  into  the  air,  slapped  his  sides,  and  exclaimed,  "A 
deetecter,  arter  all;  sold,  by  jingo  1"" 


442  SWINDLERS    AND    THEIR    TRICKS. 

"We're  bust'd,  then,"  chimed  in  Sue,  with  a  melancholy 
grin. 

It  was  even  so.  The  letters  for  Highfalutin  &  Co.  went  to 
Washington,  and  Morris  went  out  of  the  post-office ;  but  the 
fact  that  Sue  was  overmatched  hurt  him  more  than  the  loss  of 
the  place. 

June  8,  1872,  a  law  was  approved  making  it  a  penal  offense 
to  use  the  mails  for  the  purpose  of  defrauding  others,  whether 
residing  within  or  outside  of  the  United  States.  The  post- 
master-general was  also  authorized  to  forbid  the  payment  of 
postal  money-orders  to  persons  engaged  in  fraudulent  lotteries, 
gift  enterprises,  and  other  schemes  for  swindling  the  public, 
and  to  instruct  postmasters  to  return  to  the  writers,  with  the 
word  "fraudulent"  written  or  stamped  on  the  outside,  all  regis- 
tered letters  directed  to  such  persons  or  firms.  Prior  to  the 
enactment  of  this  law,  the  most  wholesale  and  barefaced 
operations  were  conducted  by  professional  cheats,  mainly 
through  the  facilities  afforded  by  the  mails,  with  almost  abso- 
lute impunity.  Letters  addressed  to  bogus  firms  were  indeed 
forwarded  from  the  offices  of  delivery  to  the  department  as 
"fictitious"  and  "undeliverable,"  and  many  colluding  post- 
masters were  decapitated.  Such  petty  measures  of  warfare 
served  merely  to  annoy  the  vampires  and  to  whet  their  diabol- 
ical ingenuity  for  the  contrivance  of  new  devices.  Since  the 
law  of  1872  went  into  effect,  however,  the  scoundrels  have 
been  compelled  to  travel  a  thorny  road.  Scores  of  arrests 
have  been  made,  and  in  many  cases  the  criminals  have  been 
sentenced  to  the  penitentiary. 

It  would  exceed  our  limits  even  to  enumerate  the  devices 
which  have  been  tried  by  different  swindlers  with  greater  or 
less  success.  Gift  enterprises  of  various  kinds  are  the  most 
common  and  notorious,  constituting  a  distinct  branch  of  the 
business ;  but  the  pretenses  on  which  human  credulity  is  in- 
vited to  part  with  actual  cash  for  imaginary  benefits  are  innu- 
merable. A  few  specimens  are  given  as  illustrations. 


A  FORM  OF  THE  CONFIDENCE  GAME.  443 

AN  OLD  GAME  REVIVED. 

On  the  i8th  of  September,  1875,  a  fellow  was  arrested  in 
West  Virginia  who  sent  to  the  victims  whom  he  proposed  to 
bleed,  letters  whereof  the  following  is  a  copy  :  — 

"A  lady  who  boarded  with  me  died  on  last  Saturday  of 
apoplexy.  She  left  a  trunk  containing  the  following  prop- 
erty :  One  very  fine  ladies'  gold  watch  and  chain,  one  ladies' 
gold  necklace,  six  ladies'  finger  rings,  earrings,  and  a  great 
deal  of  ladies'  clothing.  Among  other  things  was  a  letter 
addressed  to  you.  I  suppose  you  to  be  a  relative  of  the  de- 
ceased, and  want  to  send  you  the  trunk.  When  Miss  Thomp- 
son died  she  left  a  board  bill  unpaid  amounting  to  $20.50. 
You  will  please  send  this  amount  by  return  mail,  and  the 
trunk  will  be  forwarded  to  you  immediately." 

Instead  of  remitting  the  money  as  modestly  requested,  the 
recipient  of  one  of  these  choice  douceurs,  a  lady  residing  in 
the  interior  of  Pennsylvania,  sent  the  letter  to  the  mayor  of 
the  town  where  it  was  dated  and  postmarked,  who  in  turn 
handed  it  over  to  special  agent  T.  P.  Shallcross ;  and  he  in 
the  course  of  a  day  or  two  succeeded  in  capturing  the  mis- 
creant. 

This  particular  form  of  the  confidence  game  is  very  old ; 
yet  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  eighteen  hundred  and  seventy-five, 
a  swindler  by  means  of  it  succeeds  not  only  in  maintaining 
himself  in  dashing  style,  but  also  in  sporting  a  flashy  travel- 
ing companion  of  the  female  persuasion  ! 

Where  the  letters  are  addressed  to  men,  the  articles  re- 
ported to  be  found  in  the  imaginary  trunk  are  changed  to 
correspond  to  masculine  habits  and  wants.  The  operators 
receive  many  singular  and  some  entertaining  replies.  The 
following,  dated  long  ago  from  a  small  town  at  the  South, 
may  serve  as  a  sample,  the  orthography  of  the  original  being 
preserved :  — 


444  SWINDLERS    AND    THEIR    TRICKS. 

"  COL.  SNOWDEN. 

"Dear  Sir, — Yours  received,  and  you  say  John  is  dead.  Poor 
fellow!  I  always  expected  it.  Death  runs  in  the  family.  Dyed  sud- 
denly of  appleplexy  —  eat  too  many  apples.  Well,  I  always  thought 
John  would  hurt  himself  eating  apples.  I  s'pose  you  had  him  buried. 
You  said  nothing  about  funeral  expenses.  He  had  a  trunk  —  gold 
watch  in  it,  &c.  Well,  well,  what  an  unexpected  legacy  !  but  strange 
things  happen  sometimes.  Never  thought  I  should  get  a  gold  watch 
so.  And  he  had  the  watch  in  his  trunk,  did  he?  Poor  fellow !  was 
always  so  particular  'bout  his  watch  and  fixings.  Had  two  revolvers. 
What  is  them?  I  never  heard  John  say  anything  about  them.  Well, 
you  have  been  so  kind  as  to  write  to  me  ;  just  keep  all  the  balance  of 
the  things,  you  can  have  them  :  but  the  gold  watch,  send  that  to  me  by 
express.  Send  immediately  if  not  sooner. 
"  Very  truly, 

"  GEO.  STREAM. 

"  P.  S.  My  mother  in  law  says,  if  you  come  this  way,  call.  She 
likes  to  know  all  such  good,  kind  folks." 

It  is  safe  to  conclude  that  "Col.  Snowden"  never  accepted 
the  invitation  to  call  from  the  hospitable  mother-in-law. 

A  FORMIDABLE  WEAPON. 

In  the  summer  and  fall  of  1875,  circulars  were  scattered 
broadcast  over  the  country,  and  advertisements  appeared  in 
the  weekly  editions  of  several  leading  papers  of  New  York 
city  and  other  large  towns,  setting  forth  the  rare  merits 
of  a  weapon  of  destruction  called  f  Allan's  New  Low-Priced 
Seven-Shooter."  As  a  specimen  of  ingenious  description, 
the  more  salient  parts  of  the  circular  are  herewith  repro- 
duced :  — 

"  In  introducing  this  triumph  of  mechanical  genius  to  the  American  public, 
it  is  proper  to  say  that  it  is  not  an  entirely  new  article,  but  that  it  has  lately 
been  improved  in  appearance,  simplicity  of  construction,  and  accuracy,  hav- 
ing new  points  of  excellence,  making  it  superior  in  many  respects  to  those  first 
made.  The  manufacturers  having  improved  facilities  for  making  them  cheaply 
and  rapidly,  have  reduced  the  price  to  one  dollar  and  fifty  cents  ;  and  while 


"A   TRIUMPH  OF  MECHANICAL  GENIUS."  445 

the  profits  on  a  single  one  are  necessarily  small,  this  price  places  them  within 
the  reach  of  all.  It  will  in  the  future  be  known  as  'ALLAN'S  NEW  LOW- 
PRICED  SEVEN-SHOOTER.'  The  manufacturers  are  happy  to  announce,  that, 
having  a  large  force  engaged  in  manufacturing  them,  no  delay  can  possibly 
occur,  and  that  all  orders  will  be  promptly  filled  the  day  received.  Hundreds 
are  being  sent  to  every  state  and  territory  in  the  Union,  and  the  manner  in 
which  they  have  been  received  by  the  sporting  public  is  a  true  test  of  their 
merits,  and  proves  beyond  a  doubt  that  a  permanent  reputation  for  them  will 
soon  be  everywhere  established,  and  that  it  will  ultimately  become  a  favorite. 
It  is  of  the  usual  size  of  a  pocket  revolver,  neatly  finished,  strongly  made,  and, 
if  properly  cared  for,  is  warranted  to  be  as  good  after  three  years'  use  as 
when  first  purchased,  as  it  is  not  liable  to  get  out  of  order.  They  can  only 
be  afforded  so  low  because  they  are  manufactured  in  large  quantities,  and 
because,  wherever  introduced,  they  advertise  themselves.  For  every  business 
man,  traveler,  sailor,  hunter,  fisherman,  etc.,  it  is  absolutely  necessary  and 
indispensable.  Everybody  will  have  it.  For  agents  '  there  is  nothing  like  it' 
To  'trade '  on,  « it  is  just  the  thing.'  The  sale  of  ONE  opens  the  market  for  a 
dozen  in  any  neighborhood. 

"  We  wish  it  distinctly  understood  that  this  is  no  cheap,  good-for-nothing 
'pop-gun;'  and  while  none  can  expect  it  to  be  'silver-mounted'  for  $1.50, 
they  have  a  right  to  expect  the  worth  of  their  money,  and  in  this  new  im- 
proved seven-shooter  a  want  is  supplied. 

"Great  care  is  taken  in  the  adjustment  of  EACH,  so  that  ALL  are  equally 
good  and  reliable.  In  their  production  no  trouble  or  expense  has  been  spared. 
An  elaborate  and  complete  set  of  machinery  and  gauges  has  been  made,  by 
means  of  which  all  the  parts  are  produced  exactly  alike,  thus  insuring  great 
uniformity  in  the  character  of  the  work  produced." 

This  remarkable  implement,  equally  useful  for  peace  or  war, 
is  offered  to  an  eager  public  at  the  low  price  of  $1.50  each,  or 
$13  per  dozen.  On  the  score  of  cheapness,  the  inventor 
greatly  prefers  the  mails  to  the  express  as  a  vehicle  for  the 
transport  of  his  wares.  In  fact,  he  declines  to  patronize  the 
express  companies  at  all,  unless  a  prepayment  of  twenty-five 
per  cent,  accompanies  each  order  as  a  guaranty  of  the  "pur- 
chaser's good  faith." 

At  first  the  enterprise  succeeded  even  beyond  the  most  san- 
guine expectations  of  its  projector,  letters  with  the  cash  inclosed 
pouring  in  by  the  hundred.  For  several  months,  however, 
after  the  first  publication  of  the  advertisement,  "  this  triumph 
of  mechanical  genius,"  though  "not  an  entirely  new  article," 
existed  only  in  the  comprehensive  brain  of  the  gentleman  who 


446  SWINDLERS    AND    THEIR   TRICKS. 

had  the  greatness  to  discern  in  the  imperfect  work  of  prede- 
cessors the  germs  of  ideal  perfection.  Having  no  seven- 
shooters  to  send,  he  was  compelled  to  dishonor  the  requisitions 
of  the  expectant  "traveler,  sailor,  hunter,  fisherman,  etc." 
While  careful  to  lay  aside  the  inclosures,  he  entirely  forgot 
even  to  so  far  remember  his  patrons  as  to  make  a  record  of 
their  names. 

In  due  time,  however,  the  "factory"  went  into  operation, 
and  the  seven-shooters  were  actually  produced.  The  mechan- 
ical "triumph,"  rudely  made  of  a  cheap  metal  composition,  is 
a  duplicate  of  a  toy  long  used  by  boys  to  the  delight  of  each 
other,  and  to  the  annoyance  of  their  elders.  The  propulsive 
power  resides  in  a  steel  spring,  which  has  force  enough  to 
send  a  bird-shot  across  a  good-sized  room.  The  outfit  would 
cost  perhaps  six  or  eight  cents  to  the  manufacturer.  A  por- 
tion of  the  orders  were  now  filled,  the  greater  part  being  still 
thrown  unhonored  into  the  waste-basket  as  before. 

Curses  both  loud  and  deep  began  to  be  showered  on  the 
head  of  the  swindler.  Complaints  having  reached  the  depart- 
ment, special  agent  C.  E.  Henry  started  to  hunt  for  "Wilcox 
&  Co.,"  of  Windsor,  Ohio,  for  such  was  the  direction  in  the 
advertisements  and  on  the  circular.  Proceeding  several  miles 
from  the  nearest  railroad,  he  found  the  rural  settlement  where 
the  factory  was  supposed  to  be  located. 

Guided  by  various  inquiries,  he  finally  drove  up  to  the  small 
farm-house  where  the  parents  of  Wilcox  &  Co.  resided.  On 
entering,  the  officer  said,  "  I  am  in  search  of  Mr.  Wilcox,  of 
the  firm  of  Wilcox  &  Co." 

"  I  am  your  man,"  remarked  a  youth,  perhaps  twenty-two 
years  of  age,  whose  countenance  at  once  suggested  acuteness 
and  cunning.  "  What  will  you  have  ?  " 

"  I  would  like  to  take  a  look  about  the  arsenal  and  gun-fac- 
tory located  here,"  replied  the  detective,  leisurely  surveying 
the  landscape. 

"The  works  are  in  Cleveland,"  answered  the  great  inventor.. 
"You  can  see  them  by  calling  there." 


THE   ARSENAL. 


447 


"But  where  is  the  arsenal?  I  understood  it  was  situated 
here." 

"Your  information  is  correct,"  replied  the  young  man. 
"That  is  it,  across  the  road." 

Casting  his  eye  in  the  direction  indicated,  the  officer  saw  a 
rickety  wood-shed  about  seven  feet  by  nine  in  size. 

Observing  the  smile  of  amused  incredulity  that  played  upon 


"  '  But  where  is  the  arsenal  ?    I  understood  it  was  situated  here.'  —  '  Your  infor- 
mation is  correct,'  replied  the  young  man.    '  That  is  it,  across  the  road.'  " 

the  features  of  his  questioner,  Wilcox  reiterated,  with  an  air 
of  half  offended  dignity,  — 

"That's  it.  We  keep  our  seven-shooters  there.  But  look 
here ;  before  this  thing  goes  any  further,  I  want  to  know  who 
you  are." 

"O,  certainly,  sir,"  answered  the  stranger.  "You  will  find 
nothing  about  me  that  I  care  to  keep  concealed.  I  am  a  spe- 


448  SWINDLERS    AND    THEIR    TRICKS. 

cial  agent  of  the  post-office  department,  and  my  business  here 
is  to  arrest  you." 

"Why,  what  have  I  done  to  warrant  such  a  visit?"  queried 
youthful  innocence. 

"I  shall  be  happy  to  make  that  point  clear  to  you,"  replied 
the  detective,  "though  I  am  afraid  the  enlightenment  will  come 
too  late  to  prove  of  much  service  to  you.  In  using  the  mails 
for  the  purpose  of  swindling,  you  have  violated  the  laws  of  the 
country,  and  must  suffer  the  penalty." 

"But  where  does  the  swindling  come  in?"  expostulated 
Wilcox.  r  I  advertised  a  seven-shooter.  I  didn't  say  any- 
thing about  a  revolver.  It  will  shoot  seven  shot,  or  twice  that 
number,  if  you  only  put  them  in.  If  anybody  is  green  enough 
to  suppose  I  meant  a  revolver,  that's  his  lookout,  not  mine." 

"  We  are  not  called  upon  to  decide  the  point,"  said  the  spe- 
cial agent.  "The  question  is  one  for  the  court  and  the  jury. 
But  you  must  go  with  me  to  Cleveland.  So  get  ready." 

Finding  persuasion,  argument,  and  remonstrance  alike  use- 
less, the  great  mechanical  genius  packed  his  satchel  in  prep- 
aration for  the  journey.  Once  fairly  on  the  road,  he  became 
communicative,  and  explained  the  reasons  which  led  him  to 
embark  in  the  enterprise.  "In  the  first  place,"  said  he,  "I 
read  Barnum's  Life,  and  accepted  the  doctrine  that  the  Amer- 
ican people  like  to  be  humbugged.  I  planned  the  shooter 
myself,  and,  in  wording  the  circular,  aimed  to  cover  the  points 
and  keep  within  the  law.  I  think  I  have  succeeded." 

"  I  beg  leave  to  differ,"  argued  the  special  agent.  "  Aside 
from  the  general  falsity  of  the  description,  there  are  specific 
claims  which  you  cannot  make  good." 

"  I  don't  see  the  matter  in  that  light,"  replied  the  champion 
of  the  seven-shooter.  "I  say,  *  Wherever  introduced,  they  ad- 
vertise themselves/  Well,  don't  they?  Whoever  gets  one 
will  be  apt  to  tell  his  neighbors.  Isn't  that  advertising  itself? 
I  also  say,  '  The  sale  of  one  opens  the  market  for  a  dozen  in  any 
neighborhood ;'  but  observe,  I  don't  claim  that  any  more  will 
be  sold  in  that  neighborhood,  even  if  the  market  is  opened. 


AN    INQUISITIVE    PUBLISHER. 

So  far  as  my  guaranty  is  concerned,  I  only  warrant  them  to 
be  as  good  after  three  years'  use  as  when  first  purchased. 
Will  you,  or  will  any  court,  call  that  in  question?" 

"It  is  charged,"  said  the  officer,  changing  the  subject,  "that 
you  neglected  to  fill  a  good  many  orders.  How  do  you  ex- 
plain that?" 

"Why,  to  furnish  the  shooter  and  pay  the  postage  cuts 
down  the  profits  terribly,"  was  the  unique  and  characteristic 
reply. 

Orders  began  to  arrive  in  response  to  the  circular  nearly 
five  months  before  the  first  shooter  came  from  the  hands  of 
the  manufacturer ;  and  as  none  of  them  were  ever  filled,  or 
even  recorded,  it  is  impossible  to  estimate  how  many  dupes 
long  watched  the  mails  in  anxious  expectancy,  and  perhaps 
attributed  their  disappointment  to  dishonesty  among  the 
employes  of  the  department. 

Of  course  the  papers  which  printed  the  advertisement  would 
have  spurned  the  impostor  and  exposed  the  fraud,  had  they 
discovered  the  facts.  The  most  scrupulous  and  careful  pub- 
lishers are  often  deceived  in  the  character  of  advertisements 
that  come  through  the  regular  channels  of  business,  and 
appear  plausible  on  their  face.  In  fact,  the  religious  journals 
are  the  favorite  vehicles  of  the  swindlers.  The  solicitude 
felt  by  the  newspapers,  not  only  for  their  own  reputation,  but 
for  the  interests  of  their  patrons,  was  illustrated  in  the  corre- 
spondence found  on  the  person  of  Wilcox.  An  influential 
western  journal  had  addressed  him  two  notes  which  ran 
thus : — 

"  GENTS  :  We  receive  frequent  letters  from  subscribers,  say- 
ing they  receive  no  answers  to  letters  they  send  you  contain- 
ing money  for  '  7-shooters.'  How  is  it?  Are  you  swindlers?" 

Wilcox,  though  fully  able  to  answer  the  conundrum,  did 
not  see  fit  to  do  so ;  and  hence,  on  the  3d  of  November,  the 
same  parties  deployed  their  forces  to  renew  the  charge. 
29 


45O  SWINDLERS    AND    THEIR   TRICKS. 

" »  Nov.  3,  1875. 

"WiLCox  &  Co. : 

"We  have  written  you  once  before,  that  our  patrons  com- 
plain to  us  that  you  do  not  fill  their  cash  orders,  and  will  not 
answer  their  letters  of  inquiry  as  to  why  you  don't.  We  have 
received  so  many,  such  that  we  suspect  there  is  something 
wrong,  and,  unless  you  explain  satisfactorily,  we  will  have 
to  expose  you." 

As  the  special  agent  arrived  on  the  same  day  with  the  in- 
quiry, the  young  man  had  no  opportunity  to  make  the  desired 
explanation.  Indeed  it  is  doubtful  if  one  so  modest  and  reti- 
cent on  matters  of  personal  merit,  would  have  answered  the 
question  even  if  permitted  to  take  all  winter  to  do  it  in. 

The  United  States  commissioner,  while  fully  recognizing 
the  ingenuity  of  the  circular,  differed  somewhat  from  its 
author  in  interpreting  its  legal  construction,  and  accordingly 
placed  him  under  a  bond  of  fifteen  hundred  dollars  to  appear 
for  trial. 


HE    Valley,"  dotted    with 
farm-houses,     and     sprin- 
kled with    small  villages, 
was  a  favorite  summer  re- 
sort for  a  class  of  people 
from    New  York  and  one  or 
two  other  cities,  who  preferred 
fine    scenery,    pure    air,    and 
wholesome  food  to  the  crush 
of  crowded    watering-places. 
The  incidents  of  the  story  to 
be    narrated    occurred    many 
years    ago,    long    before   the 
locomotive  had  profaned  the 
sanctities    of    nature    by    its 
shriek,  or   dragged  into  this 
quiet  region  the  more  turbu- 
lent elements  of  modern  prog- 
ress.    The    inhabitants  were 
mostly  born  on  the  soil  that 
they  tilled,  and   generally  inherited  the  religion,  the  politics, 
and  the   prejudices  of  their  fathers  along  with  the    ancestral 
acres.     When  crimes,  or  "  irregularities, "  break  out  in  such 
communities,  their  strangeness  and  entire  lack  of  sympathy 
with  the   general    surroundings    greatly    intensify   the    public 
surprise,  and,  if  the  circumstances  are  aggravated,  the  public 
indignation. 


452  THE  DEACON'S  DAUGHTER. 

A  mail-route  sixty. miles  long,  connecting  two  parallel  lines 
of  railway,  wound  through  the  valley,  and  was  served  with 
commendable  regularity.  At  length  robberies  began  to  occur, 
the  complaints  pouring  in  upon  special  agent  B.  K.  Sharretts, 
of  New  York  city,  with  alarming  frequency.  Commencing 
at  the  northern  end  of  the  chain,  he  became  convinced,  by  a 
series  of  careful  experiments,  that  the  terminal  office  and  the 
two  next  in  the  order  of  sequence,  were  entirely  free  from 
trouble. 

As  the  distance  from  New  York  was  short,  the  special  agent 
conducted  the  investigation  at  odd  intervals,  as  the  exigencies 
of  business  permitted.  For  some  time  not  a  loss  occurred 
while  he  was  engaged  on  the  line,  yet  a  few  days  after  his 
departure  perhaps  half  a  dozen  complaints  would  be  thrown 
at  him  in  a  lump.  The  sufferers  were  among  the  wealthiest 
and  most  responsible  people  in  the  valley,  so  that  there  could 
be  no  doubt  about  the  reality  of  the  robberies. 

On  tabulating  the  reported  losses,  the  detective  discovered 
that  they  all  fell  in  brief  periods  of  activity,  separated  by  long 
intervals  of  repose.  For  three  or  four  days,  and  sometimes 
for  a  week,  the  malady  seemed  to  rage  with  great  fury,  and 
then,  as  if  the  violence  of  the  disease  had  exhausted  its  energy, 
no  further  symptom  of  disorder  would  appear  for  a  month. 
Knowing  well  that  perseverance  would  eventually  lead  him 
to  the  hidden  source  of  the  infection,  he  worked  away  pa- 
tiently, though  with  rather  discouraging  progress. 

The  route,  supplying  the  country  like  an  artery,  was  tapped 
on  each  side  by  tributaries,  but  the  losses  all  occurred  in  matter 
passing  over  the  main  line,  and,  by  gradual  accumulation, 
located  the  thief  with  tolerable  certainty  at  one  of  two  offices, 
Belleview  or  Beulah. 

The  robber  appeared  to  care  little  for  money,  but  had  an 
insatiable  appetite  for  choice  articles  of  female  adornment, 
such  as  gloves,  collars,  ribbons,  lace,  and  jewelry.  For  three 
days  the  detective  tested  the  two  offices  referred  to  without 
getting  a  nibble ;  but  on  the  fourth,  upon  opening  the  pouch 


NO    USE    FOR    GEWGAWS.  453 

before  it  reached  Greenwood,  the  office  next  south  of  Beulah, 
he  missed  a  package  containing  some  delicate  articles  of 
female  apparel. 

The  mail-driver,  whose  co-operation  was  indispensable,  kept 
the  secrets  of  the  investigation  inviolate,  as  an  honest  man  and 
good  citizen  should.  At  the  next  settlement  the  detective 
hired  a  conveyance,  and  returned  by  the  shortest  road  to  Belle- 
view,  expecting  to  find  the  author  of  all  the  mischief  at  that 
place.  Having  secured  quarters  at  the  hotel,  which  was  well 
filled  at  the  time  with  summer  boarders  from  the  large  cities, 
he  started  to  find  Judge  Winchester,  an  old  acquaintance,  and 
in  point  of  wealth  and  enterprise  the  leading  spirit  of  the  town. 
In  addition  to  high  character  and  sound  judgment,  the  judge 
possessed  a  thorough  knowledge  of  the  people  for  miles  around, 
so  that  his  opinion  was  likely  to  be  valuable. 

Taking  him  one  side,  the  detective  proceeded  to  explain 
the  situation.  "As  you  are  aware,  judge,  a  great  many  rob- 
beries have  occurred  somewhere  on  the  line  of  this  route.  As 
the  rifled  letters  usually  contain  articles  of  female  apparel,  and 
as  there  are  a  great  many  young  ladies  from  abroad  stopping 
at  your  hotel,  I  am  inclined  to  the  belief  that  the  thief  is  at  this 
place,  and  that  he  is  lavishing  the  plunder  upon  some  too 
highly  favored  friend.  I  have  just  reached  Belleview  in  the 
progress  of  my  investigations,  and  desire  information  in  regard 
to  the  employes  of  the  post-office  here." 

"You  are  not  apt  to  he  wrong,"  replied  the  judge  ;  "but  in 
this  case  you  are  decidedly  mistaken.  The  mail  passes  here 
in  broad  daylight.  The  pouch  is  opened  in  the  corner  of  a 
store,  exposed  to  the  view  of  every  one,  and  more  or  less  spec- 
tators are  always  present.  It  is  never  delayed  over  fifteen 
minutes.  The  postmaster,  an  old  bachelor  of  the  most  ex- 
emplary character,  attends  to  all  the  business  in  person,  and 
you  can  imagine  about  how  much  use  he  would  have  for  such 
gewgaws." 

"  But,  judge,"  reasoned  the  detective,  "  how  do  you  account 
for  the  missing  package?  I  know  it  was  in  the  pouch  when  it 


454 

reached  this  office,  and  I  am  equally  certain  it  was  not  to  be 
found  when  I  overhauled  the  mail  a  couple  of  miles  this  side  of 
Greenwood.  It  only  passed  through  Belleview  and  Beulah, 
and  I  hurried  back  fully  expecting  to  find  the  trouble  here.  I 
have  not  }'et  tested  Beulah  —  " 

"No,  and  you  need  not,"  interrupted  the  judge.  "The 
postmaster,  Deacon  Matthew  Starr,  is  one  of  the  most  wealthy 
and  worthy  men  in  the  county.  The  office  was  established  at 
that  locality  chiefly  for  his  personal  convenience,  though  a 
number  of  neighbors  are  also  accommodated.  I  will  stake  my 
reputation  on  his  integrity  to  the  most  minute  particular.  It  is 
idle  for  you  to  waste  time  there.  You  must  be  mistaken, 
Sharretts,  about  that  package,  for,  notwithstanding  your  strong 
conviction  to  the  contrary,  I  am  satisfied  it  never  reached  this 
office.  The  slippery  spot  is  above  here." 

Seeing  that  further  argument  would  be  likely  to  provoke  the 
bluff,  obstinate,  headstrong  old  judge,  who  from  long  control 
in  the  affairs  of  the  village  had  acquired  the  mental  habits  of 
an  autocrat,  the  detective  appeared  to  yield  the  point,  though 
absolutely  certain  that  there  was  no  error  in  his  observations. 
"Well,  judge,  we  are  all  liable  to  make  mistakes,  and  perhaps 
I  have  in  this  instance.  If  so,  I  must  load  and  fire  again, 
taking  surer  aim." 

Afterwards  the  conversation  turned  upon  the  old  families  of 
the  county,  and,  without  apparent  design,  the  special  agent 
drew  forth  a  full  account  of  the  household  of  Deacon  Matthew 
Starr.  The  worthy  deacon  had  a  pretty  daughter  about  nine- 
teen years  old,  who  was  then  attending  the  school  of  Madam 
Gasparin.  In  addition  to  the  regular  vacations,  she  enjoyed 
frequent  furloughs,  spending  the  time  either  among  relatives 
in  a  neighboring  city,  or  under  the  parental  roof.  According 
to  the  judge,  she  came  home  "very  seldom,"  a  phrase  that  on 
more  exact  interpretation  proved  to  mean,  from  once  a  fort- 
night to  once  a  month. 

This  information  suggested  a  queer  and  rather  startling 
theory.  Remembering  that  the  depredations  occurred  at  sim- 


AN    IDOL   ALMOST    BROKEN.  455 

ilar  intervals,  the  detective  was  so  forcibly  struck  with  the 
coincidence,  that  he  was  about  to  call  the  attention  of  the  judge 
to  the  point,  when  the  clang  of  the  gong  drowned  their  voices 
and  broke  up  the  conference. 

At  dinner,  the  mind  of  the  detective  was  much  more  active 
than  his  fork.  In  fact,  he  was  absorbed  with  the  late  dis- 
covery, and  felt  that  at  last  he  grasped  the  key  to  the  trouble- 
some mystery.  After  a  light  repast,  he  sauntered  out  with 
the  purpose  of  dealing  frankly  with  Judge  Winchester.  The 
old  gentleman  would  not  betray  confidence  or  screen  guilt.  It 
would  be  necessary  to  use  Belleview  as  a  base  of  operations, 
and  if  the  judge  should  see  him  there  and  suspect  that  he  was 
attempting  to  detect  a  thief  at  Beulah,  he  might  regard  the 
proceeding  as  an  act  of  bad  faith,  and  hence  allow  his  indigna- 
tion to  hurry  him  into  some  ill-advised  speech  or  action  that 
would  frustrate  the  enterprise. 

The  judge  soon  made  his  appearance  among  the  guests  who 
were  lounging  and  smoking  on  the  piazza.  Calling  him  aside, 
the  officer  remarked,  "  I  have  been  reflecting  upon  the  subject 
of  our  late  conversation,  and  am  sorry  to  feel  compelled  to  ex- 
press the  conviction  that  we  shall  find  the  cause  of  the  trouble 
in  Miss  Rebecca  Starr,  the  daughter  of  the  deacon." 

"  Sharretts,  what  on  earth  do  you  mean?  "  replied  the  judge, 
recoiling  as  if  a  snake  had  struck  him.  "I  thought  you  were 
a  detective  —  a  first-class  detective,  that  could  see  where  others 
were  blind.  Have  I  been  humbugged  in  my  good  opinion? 
I  dislike  exceedingly  to  have  my  idols  broken,  but  if  this  t's  a 
specimen  of  your  discernment,  I  shall  have  to  give  you  up. 
Why,  my  dear  sir,  you  were  never  more  mistaken.  The  bare 
suspicion  is  preposterous.  Deacon  Starr  has  but  two  children, 
a  son  and  daughter,  and  the  son  is  already  well  provided  for. 
Miss  Rebecca  is  the  pet  of  her  parents,  and  they  lavish  money 
upon  her  without  stint.  A  wish  needs  only  to  be  expressed  to  be 
gratified.  She  is  the  favorite,  too,  of  a  millionaire  uncle,  who 
has  no  children  of  his  own,  and  whose  purse  is  fairly  thrust 
upon  her.  In  view  of  the  facts,  can  you  entertain  for  a 


456 


THE    DEACON  S    DAUGHTER. 


moment  the  monstrous  proposition  that  a  young  lady  of  abun- 
dant means,  intelligent,  cultivated,  and  refined,  connected  by 
ties  of  blood  and  social  intimacy  with  the  first  people  of  the 
state,  —  a  young  lady  who  has  enjoyed  every  advantage  that 
money  and  position  can  confer,  —  would  stoop  to  the  degrada- 
tion of  robbing  the  mails  for  the  sake  of  a  few  foolish  trifles, 
or  indeed  for  any  consideration  whatever?" 


"'Sharretts,  what  on  earth  do  you  mean?    I  thought  you  were  a  detective  — a 
first  class  detective.    Have  I  been  humbugged  in  my  good  opinion  P>7* 

As  he  went  on,  the  judge  waxed  eloquent  in  repelling  even 
the  half  whispered  reflection  upon  the  fair  fame  of  the  house- 
hold of  his  old  and  honored  friend.  Too  late  the  detective 
discovered  that  with  all  the  prudence  born  of  experience  he 
was  again  the  victim  of  misplaced  confidence.  It  is  hard  to 
persuade  a  man  to  listen  to  reasoo  where  he  can  see  nothing 
but  folly. 


SERENITY    RESTORED.  457 

"You  must  excuse  me,  judge,  if  I  have  been  a  little  fast," 
apologized  the  officer.  "  We  form  the  habit  of  extemporizing 
theories  to  explain  facts,  and  often  have  to  abandon  them  as 
new  light  is  thrown  upon  a  case.  You  know  all  about  the 
people  living  in  this  vicinity,  and  far  be  it  from  me  to  pit  any 
hastily  formed  conclusion  of  mine  against  your  mature  and 
carefully  weighed  opinions." 

The  appearance  of  submission  struck  the  amiable  but  half 
angered  old  gentleman  on  his  vulnerable  side,  and,  seizing 
the  hand  of  the  officer,  he  laughingly  remarked,  "An  error 
frankly  confessed  is  more  than  half  redressed.  I  will  instruct 
the  jury  to  bring  in  a  verdict  of  '  not  guilty.' " 

However,  the  resolution  of  the  special  agent  was  fully  taken 
to  give  the  office  at  Beulah  a  thorough  test,  and  he  was  willing 
to  hazard  his  reputation  as  a  "theorizer"  on  the  result.  It 
was  desirable  to  secure  the  aid  to  a  certain  degree  of  some 
resident  of  the  place  who  knew  the  Starrs,  and  could  keep 
informed  of  their  movements.  Sometimes  the  party  thus 
pressed  into  service  does  his  work  well,  without  suspecting 
for  a  moment  that  he  is  unwittingly  playing  a  hand  in  a  seri- 
ous game.  In  this,  fortune  favored  the  detective. 

Soon  the  steamboat  landed  at  the  wharf,  and  among  the 
passengers  was  an  old  New  York  acquaintance,  Mr.  Edward 
Osborne.  After  a  warm  shake  of  the  hand,  the  New-Yorker 
remarked  with  some  enthusiasm,  "Let  me  present  you  to  my 
traveling  companion,  Mr.  Henry  Allen,  of  Beulah,  just 
below  here." 

Both  had  left  the  boat ;  Osborne  for  a  few  days'  rest  in  the 
country,  and  Allen  to  return  home.  Here  was  the  opportunity 
to  begin.  Accordingly  the  officer  strove  to  make  himself 
particularly  agreeable  to  Mr.  Henry  Allen,  and  succeeded 
even  beyond  expectation.  The  gentleman  promised,  after 
visiting  home,  to  return  to  the  hotel  to  spend  the  evening. 

Meanwhile  the  special  agent  explained  the  situation  to  Os- 
borne, who  was  already  somewhat  familiar  with  his  exploits 
as  a  detective,  and  was  now  eager  to  lend  a  helping  hand. 


THE  DEACON'S  DAUGHTER. 

Said  the  officer,  "I  must  arrange  through  some  one  to  learn 
when  Miss  Starr  expects  to  return  home,  and  how  long  she 
intends  to  remain." 

"  I  can  manage  that  for  you  easily  enough,"  replied  the  New- 
Yorker  ;  "  only  let  me  do  it  in  my  own  way.'* 

"Very  well,"  answered  the  agent;  "I  shall  depend  upon 
your  watchfulness  and  ingenuity.  Use  your  own  methods, 
but  give  me  the  information." 

Late  in  the  evening  he  met  the  two  gentlemen  apparently 
by  accident  in  the  billiard-room,  when  Osborne  remarked,  in 
a  semi-confidential  tone  intended  for  the  exclusive  benefit  of 
his  comrade  from  Beulah,  "  I  guess  I'm  booked  for  the  season. 
There  is  an  heiress  below  here,  young  and  beautiful,  whose 
acquaintance  I'm  half  crazy  to  make.  As  she  is  not  at  home, 
I  propose  to  wait  for  her  return ;  and  for  the  moral  support  of 
my  friend  Allen,  I  intend  to  throw  the  weight  of  my  influence 
in  his  favor  in  a  certain  quarter  where  he  may  need  it." 

With  that  he  turned  full  upon  the  detective,  and  brought  the 
lids  of  his  sinister  orb  quickly  together,  in  token  of  self-com- 
mendation over  the  brilliant  opening  of  the  play.  The  subject 
was  dropped,  and  shortly  after  Allen  took  leave  for  the  night. 

Osborne  then  unfolded  with  considerable  glee  his  little  plot. 
He  was  to  remain  at  Belleview,  and  Allen  was  to  notify  him 
promptly  of  the  expected  return  of  Miss  Rebecca,  when  he 
would  at  once  telegraph  the  fact  to  the  special  agent,  who  was 
to  return  to  New  York. 

The  next  morning,  on  the  way  home,  the  officer  purchased 
in  a  neighboring  city  three  ladies'  collars.  At  his  request,  a 
female  clerk  in  attendance  ripped  open  the  ends,  when  he 
wrote  his  own  name  on  the  inside  in  indelible  ink,  and  the 
seams  were  closed  again. 

On  the  following  Monday  he  received  this  telegram  from 
Belleview :  — 

"  Caravan  just  arrived.     Will  exhibit  here  three  days. 

"  OSBORNE." 


PREPARATIONS. 


459 


Without  delay  he  packed  a  small  valise,  and  hurried  to  the 
scene  of  action.  The  steamboat  reached  the  wharf  at  an 
early  hour,  but  his  faithful  ally  was  there  to  meet  him.  Miss 
Starr  reached  home  the  day  the  dispatch  was  sent,  and  might 

remain  through  the  week.  On  some 
pretense  Osborne  was  to  delay  the 
ceremony  of  presentation  till  the  de- 
tective had  a  chance  to  try  his  skill. 

The  mail  did  not  reach  Belleview 
for  several  hours.  At  the  appointed 
time,  however,  the  ancient  vehicle 
rolled  into  the  village.  The  special 
agent  had  three  pack- 
ages in  readiness,  ad- 
dressed to  three  differ- 
ent offices  below,  and 
as  the  pouch  was  about 
to  be  closed,  stepped  up 
to  the  postmaster,  in- 
troduced himself  offi- 
cially, dropped  in  the 
decoys,  and  saw  the 
bag  locked  and  placed 
on  the  mail  wagon. 
One  of  the  letters  con- 
tained the  three  col- 
lars. 

For  his  own  convey- 
ance he  had  previously 
arranged  to  have  a  car- 
riage at  the  door  of 

the  hotel,  and  on  the  way  thither  rather  unfortunately  met 
Judge  Winchester.    The  old  gentleman  seemed  to  be  annoyed 
at  the   sudden  reappearance  of  the  detective,   and  inquired 
brusquely,  "You  here  again?     What's  in  the  wind  now?" 
"O,  nothing  in  particular,  may  it  please  the  court,"  re- 


"  At  his  request,  a  female  clerk  ripped  open  the 
ends,  when  he  wrote  his  own  name  on  the 
inside  in  indelible  ink." 


460  THE  DEACON'S  DAUGHTER. 

sponded  the  agent ;  and,  not  caring  after  his  late  experience 
to  indulge  the  worthy  magnate  in  further  confidences,  he  hur- 
ried on  to  the  hotel,  stepped  into  the  carriage,  and  was  off  on 
a  lively  trot. 

It  was  a  beautiful  day  in  summer.  The  smooth,  level  road 
gradually  widened  into  a  broad  highway,  lined  on  each  side 
with  cultivated  fields,  interspersed  with  occasional  patches  of 
forest.  Further  on,  the  drive  passed  under  a  long  arch  of 
overhanging  elms,  which  some  beneficent  patriarch  of  a 
former  generation  had  planted  by  the  roadside  for  the  benefit 
of  posterity.  The  limbs  of  the  stately  trees  interlacing  over- 
head formed  a  delightful  screen  to  protect  the  traveler  from 
the  sun.  Quaint  and  old-fashioned  but  capacious  houses, 
some  of  them  built  in  the  last  century,  still  gave  shelter  to 
the  descendants  of  the  original  settlers.  On  a  beautiful  ele- 
vation, sloping  gently  to  the  street,  stood  a  fine  old  residence, 
conspicuous  for  size  and  for  the  elegance  of  its  surroundings, 
which,  from  the  description  that  had  been  given  him,  the 
officer  recognized  at  once  as  the  homestead  of  the  Starrs,  and 
the  present  location  of  the  Beulah  post-office. 

Not  a  speck  dimmed  the  pure  white  exterior  of  the  baronial 
mansion,  save  where  the  deep  verdure  of  vines,  crawling  in 
and  out  of  the  trellis-work,  or  twining  around  the  balcony- 
posts  and  hanging  in  graceful  festoons  from  above,  toned 
down  the  brightness  that  otherwise  would  have  been  too 
glairy  to  please  the  eye.  The  lawn  in  front,  laid  out  by  an 
artist  in  landscape  gardening,  showed  minute  attention  to 
details.  Hedge-rows  walled  in  the  various  walks,  and  about 
the  grounds  flowers  bloomed  in  endless  profusion.  The  place 
seemed  to  be  the  chosen  abode  of  innocence,  of  taste,  and  of 
purity.  One  could  hardly  suspect  that  crime  lurked  in  such 
a  home  without  an  uneasy  dread  of  the  retribution  threatened 
against  harsh,  unfounded,  and  cruel  judgments. 

As  he  drove  on,  his  moralizing  was  interrupted  by  the 
rumble  of  distant  thunder.  A  black  cloud  shot  upward  from 
the  western  horizon,  and  threw  a  curtain  over  the  sun,  typical 


PRESENTIMENTS    OF    EVIL.  461 

perhaps  of  a  far  more  somber  curtain  soon  to  drop  its  dark 
folds  over  a  house  that  had  braved  the  storms  for  generations, 
with  no  seam  to  betray  weakness,  and  no  spot  to  sully  its 
fame. 

The  officer  drove  slowly,  to  allow  the  mail  wagon  to  over- 
take him  ;  but  so  many  vehicles  were  abroad  that  no  opportu- 
nity to  examine  the  pouch  was  presented  till  they  had  nearly 
accomplished  the  seven  miles  between  Beulah  and  Green- 
wood. He  finally  succeeded,  however,  and,  on  emptying  the 
contents  of  the  sack,  found  that  two  of  the  three  packages 
were  missing.  One  of  the  stolen  letters  contained  the  marked 
collars. 

In  view  of  the  lateness  of  the  hour  and  the  threatening  as- 
pect of  the  clouds,  the  special  agent  decided  to  defer  further 
operations  till  the  next  day,  and  accordingly  drove  back  on  a 
brisk  trot  by  the  shortest  cut  to  Belleview.  It  might  be  haz- 
ardous to  permit  so  much  time  to  elapse  before  descending  on 
the  lair  of  the  robber ;  but  in  hunting  for  the  contents  of  rifled 
decoys,  one  is  compelled  to  risk  certain  chances,  as  precipi- 
tancy and  procrastination  are  about  equally  dangerous,  and 
prescience  counts  for  little  where  so  much  depends  on  the 
caprice  of  the  thief. 

At  half  past  ten  o'clock  the  next  morning,  the  officer  drove 
up  to  the  hitching-post  in  front  of  Deacon  Starr's  grounds. 
Brushing  off  the  surplus  dust,  —  for  the  storm  of  the  previous 
afternoon  began  and  ended  in  blackness  and  wind,  —  he 
strolled  slowly  up  the  graveled  walk  to  the  front  door,  which 
stood  open.  He  knocked,  but  there  was  no  response.  En- 
tering the  hall,  he  found  the  door  to  the  parlor  also  open.  No 
fear  of  thieves  or  burglars  ever  disturbed  evidently  the  seren- 
ity of  the  household.  While  to  outward  appearance  the 
establishment  was  deserted,  sounds  of  music  came  from  the 
drawing-room  in  the  rear  of  the  parlor.  The  air,  sung  in  a 
sweet,  melodious,  cultivated  voice,  with  an  accompaniment 
executed  brilliantly  on  the  piano,  was  from  the  opera -of 
the  "Bohemian  Girl,"  —  '< You'll  Remember  Me."  Had  the 


462 


THE  DEACON'S  DAUGHTER. 


shadow  of  coming  events  already  fallen  darkly  across  the 
pathway  of  the  poor  girl  ?  Was  she  half  consciously  singing 
a  dirge  over  the  sunny  years  of  youth,  whose  cloudless  joy 
and  splendor  were  to  be  wrecked  by  the  gathering  tempest? 

Had  the  spirit  of  prophecy 
entered  her  soul  to  find  sad 
utterance  in  the  voice  of  mu- 
sic? The  visit  of  the  stran- 
ger was  indeed  to  be  memo- 
rable, separating  the  past  from 
the  future  of  the  unhappy 
singer  by  an  abyss  so  broad 
and  deep  that  the  fragments 
of  her  disrupted  life  were  to 
seem  forever  after  to  belong 
to  two  distinct  beings  related 
only  by  the  thread  of  con- 
sciousness. 


The  Deacon's  Mansion. 


The  performer  was  so  wholly  engrossed  in  the  music  that 
the  caller  was  obliged  to  knock  loudly  before  the  raps  were 
heard  above  the  plaintive  heart-cries  of  the  song.  At  length 
her  attention  was  attracted  ;  the  music  stopped,  and  was 


"TAKE  ANY  SHAPE  BUT  THAT."  463 

succeeded  by  the  rustle  of  female  garments.  The  folding-doors 
leading  into  the  front  room  rolled  back,  and  in  the  embrasure 
stood  a  girl  of  eighteen  or  twenty,  whom  the  stranger  knew 
instinctively  to  be  Miss  Rebecca  Starr.  Tall,  willowy,  and 
graceful,  with  dark,  lustrous  eyes,  and  hair  of  raven  black- 
ness, the  effect  of  which  was  intensified  by  contrast  with  a 
white  rose  that  nestled  in  its  luxuriant  coils,  her  face  and  fig- 
ure, replete  with  maidenly  dignity,  seemed  to  exact  the  defer- 
ence recognized  as  due  to  cultivated  womanhood.  The  officer, 
accustomed  to  turmoil  and  danger,  to  handling  all  sorts  of 
criminals  from  the  desperado  to  the  sneak,  was  now  ready  to 
exclaim,  — 

"Approach  thou  like  the  rugged  Russian  bear, 
The  armed  rhinoceros,  or  the  Hjrcan  tiger; 
Take  any  shape  but  that,  and  my  firm  nerves 
Shall  never  tremble !  " 

Perplexed  and  embarrassed,  the  officer  wished  himself  any- 
where else  on  the  face  of  the  green  earth.  But  he  had  em- 
barked on  the  voyage,  and  retreat  was  impossible.  As  the 
beautiful  creature  looked  at  him  inquiringly,  he  was  compelled 
to  account  for  his  presence  in  some  way,  and  hence  remarked 
apologetically,  — 

"  I  have  probably  made  a  mistake ;  if  so,  I  trust  you  will 
pardon  me.  But  when  I  entered  I  was  under  the  impression 
that  the  post-office  was  kept  here,  and  desired  to  make  some 
inquiries." 

"You  are  not  mistaken,  sir,"  replied  she,  in  a  low,  sweet 
voice ;  "the  office  is  kept  in  a  room  across  the  hall." 

"Can  I  see  the  postmaster?" 

"Not  now,  sir.  He  has  gone  to  call  on  a  neighbor^  and 
may  be  absent  several  hours." 

"May  I  inquire  who  has  charge  of  the  office  in  his  absence?" 

"*O,  sir,  there  is  very  little  to  be  done,  and  father  attends  to 
that." 

At  the  same  time  she  walked  past  the  officer  to  the  open 


464  THE  DEACON'S  DAUGHTER. 

window,  when  he  discovered  encircling  her  fair  neck  one  of 
the  identical  collars  he  had  mailed  the  day  before.  All  doubts 
were  now  cleared  away,  leaving  no  excuse  for  further  tremu- 
lousness  or  hesitation. 

"Will  you  please  give  me  your  name?"  said  he,  blandly. 

w  Rebecca  Starr,"  replied  she,  with  a  slight  quaver,  as  if 
agitated  by  the  mild,  subdued  earnestness  of  the  questioner. 

tf  Miss  Starr,  be  good  enough  to  be  seated ;  I  have  some- 
thing to  say  to  you." 

With  a  slight  flush  and  a  sudden  start,  she  replied,  — 

"  I  will  call  my  mother." 

"Perhaps,  Miss  Starr,  you  had  better  remain  a  moment. 
If  you  knew  the  object  of  my  visit,  you  might  prefer  to  have 
the  interview,  for  the  present  at  least,  private." 

To  this  somewhat  ominous  remark  she  ventured  no  reply, 
but  dropping  into  a  chair  nervelessly,  as  if  divining  the  nature 
of  the  business,  waited  in  evident  suspense  for  the  next  reve- 
lation. Though  exceedingly  pained  to  wound  in  any  way 
the  feelings  of  the  unfortunate  girl,  the  officer  knew  that  all 
that  loveliness  of  exterior  but  thinly  masked  the  heart  of  a 
thief.  Was  she  the  victim  of  some  mental  malady,  evanescent 
and  curable,  that  temporarily  overmastered  the  warnings  of 
reason,  or  were  her  crimes  the  outcome  of  a  perverted  and 
hardened  soul?  In  the  beautiful  economy  of  nature,  outward 
grace  usually  gives  assurance  of  inward  excellence.  Expres- 
sion is  the  reflex  of  countless  thoughts  and  actions,  that  grad- 
ually mold  muscles  and  light  the  eye.  He  tried  to  fathom 
the  mysteries  of  that  face,  but  in  vain.  Nature,  unerring  na- 
ture, seemed  to  be  at  fault,  and  to  have  graven  there  mislead- 
ing characters. 

The  pause,  however,  must  be  broken  ;  and  he  inquired,  with 
an  air  of  authority,  — 

"Where  did  you  get  the  collar  which  I  see  upon  your 
neck?" 

Though  coloring  deeply,  she  replied  with  deliberation, — 


OVERWHELMED.  465 

"  I  bought  it  in  New  York." 

"Did  you  buy  more  than  one,  Miss  Starr?" 

"Yes,  sir,  I  bought  a  dozen." 

"Will  you  be  kind  enough,  Miss  Starr,  to  remove  the  one 
you  are  wearing,  and  to  bring  me  the  others." 

Without  manifesting  the  least  surprise,  or  disposition  to  ques- 
tion the  authority  of  the  stranger,  she  unpinned  the  article  and 
placed  it  in  his  hands.  Leaving  the  room,  she  soon  returned 
with  three  others,  entirely  dissimilar,  and  showing  marks  of 
long  service. 

Without  appearing  to  notice  the  fact,  however,  the  stranger 
requested  her  to  be  seated.  Taking  out  his  commission  from 
the  postmaster-general,  and  pointing  to  his  own  name  and 
official  designation,  he  asked  her  to  hold  the  document,  while 
with  a  penknife  he  ripped  open  a  seam  in  the  collar,  and 
showed  her  the  same  name  written  on  a  small  slip  of  linen  that 
had  been  inserted. 

Dropping  the  commission  from  her  trembling  hands,  she 
burst  into  tears,  and  exclaimed,  — 

"  O,  sir  !  did  you  do  that  to  catch  me?  " 

"  I  did  it,"  replied  the  officer  with  deep  feeling,  "  to  catch 
the  person  who  has  long  been  robbing  the  mails  on  this 
route ;  and  I  cannot  tell  you  how  grieved  I  am  to  find  in  the 
offender,  not  a  poor  wretch  tempted  perhaps  b}r  hunger, 
or  maddened  by  evil  passions,  but  a  lady  in  the  bloom  of 
youth  and  beauty,  surrounded  by  influences  fitted  to  stimulate 
noble  aims  and  to  encourage  the  development  of  the  highest 
virtues.  My  position  is  painful ;  but  I  am  compelled  to  follow 
where  duty  leads,  however  thorny  the  path." 

Thereupon,  losing  self-control,  the  poor  girl  started  to  give 
way  to  a  paroxysm  of  grief;  but  her  thoughts  were  diverted 
into  a  different  channel  under  the  skillful  guidance  of  the 
detective.  Like  one  having  authority,  he  uttered  the  word  of 
command. 

"  Stop  crying :  it  will  do  no  good.  You  must  summon  all 
30 


466 


THE  DEACON'S  DAUGHTER. 


your  fortitude,  for  you  have  a  task  to  perform.  Sit  down  at 
that  table  and  write  out  for  me  a  detailed  account,  so  far  as 
you  can  remember,  of  your  improper  transactions.  State  when 
you  began  this  unfortunate  business,  how  much  money  you 
have  taken,  and  what  articles  of  dress  or  ornament.  State 


« Dropping  the  commission  from  her  trembling  hands,  she  burst  into 
tears,  and  exclaimed, '  O,  sir !  did  you  do  that  to  catch  me  ? ' " 

also  what  disposition  you  have  made  of  the  property,  and  give 
the  names  of  the  parties  who  have  been  wronged,  with  memo- 
randa of  what  properly  belongs  to  each  one." 

She  obeyed  passively,  as  if  exercising  no  independent  will 


A    DISMAL    CATALOGUE.  467 

of  her  own.  As  the  detective  watched  the  growth  of  the  dis- 
mal catalogue  of  thefts,  he  could  not  help  giving  way  to  pro- 
found and  sorrowful  meditation.  He  remembered  that  he  was 
a  minister  of  the  law,  and  that  the  law  knew  no  difference 
between  that  sweet-faced  girl,  reared  in  the  lap  of  luxury,  and 
watched  over  from  infancy  with  the  tenderest  solicitude,  and 
the  hardened  criminal  from  the  slums.  It  was  not  for  him  to 
question  the  wisdom  or  justice  of  the  law ;  yet  the  thought  of 
arresting  this  highly  favored  and  accomplished  young  girl  was 
so  repellent  that  he  determined  to  save  her,  if  possible,  from 
the  ignominy  and  ruin  of  such  a  fate.  Though  guilty,  no 
jury  would  convict  her,  no  tribunal  would  demand  her  appre- 
hension. Connected  with  the  best  families  in  the  state,  with 
uncounted  wealth  to  draw  upon  for  the  gratification  of  the 
most  extravagant  desires,  she  was  sure  of  an  outburst  of  charity 
from  the  public  so  generous  that  it  would  hide  every  fault 
under  the  folds  of  its  capacious  mantle;  while,  if  the  case 
came  to  the  courts,  the  plea  of  insanity  would  be  certain  to 
save  her  from  the  disgrace  of  imprisonment.  Under  the  cir- 
cumstances, the  officer  decided  that  if  rigorous  steps  were  to 
be  instituted,  it  must  be  at  the  instance  of  an  authority  higher 
than  his.  "Blood  is  thicker  than  water,"  as  those  charged 
with  the  execution  of  unpleasant  duties  often  experience  to 
their  embarrassment ;  and  it  is  a  tolerably  safe  rule,  where  one 
is  at  a  loss  to  decide  what  course  he  ought  to  pursue,  to  err,  if 
err  he  must,  in  the  interests  of  humanity.  One  mistake  at 
least  is  less  injurious  than  two. 

She  consumed,  perhaps,  fifteen  minutes  in  preparing  the 
schedule,  which  she  handed  to  the  officer.  The  task  over,  the 
tension  on  her  nerves  became  too  severe  to  be  borne ;  and, 
throwing  herself  upon  the  sofa,  she  wept  piteously.  "Pray 
be  calm,"  urged  the  kind-hearted  official.  "What  would  your 
neighbors  think,  if  any  of  them  should  drop  in  and  find  you 
in  this  condition.  Sit  up  and  dry  your  tears.  Affairs  may 
turn  out  much  better  than  you  anticipate." 


468  THE  DEACON'S  DAUGHTER. 

Controlled  and  soothed  by  the  magnetism  of  a  will  so  much 
stronger  than  her  own,  she  became  quiet,  and,  passing  into 
the  back  parlor,  resumed  her  seat  at  the  piano ;  but  the  effort 
to  play  proved  vain.  The  spirit  of  melody  had  fled. 

According  to  the  schedule,  she  had  stolen  in  the  aggregate 
about  ninety  dollars  in  money,  and  various  articles,  embracing 
gloves,  lace,  jewelry,  etc.,  estimated  in  the  letters  of  com- 
plaint from  the  sufferers  to  be  worth  one  hundred  and  fifty 
dollars  more.  She  confessed  a  number  of  thefts  which  had 
never  been  reported  to  the  department ;  but  the  complaints  in 
the  hands  of  the  agent  agreed,  so  far  as  they  went,  with  the 
statements  in  the  schedule.  Nearly  all  whose  correspondence 
had  been  despoiled  lived  in  the  neighborhood,  and  were 
friends  or  acquaintances  of  the  family. 

Deacon  Starr  soon  returned,  when  another  painful  duty 
devolved  on  the  agent.  The  old  gentleman  had  long  before 
passed  the  meridian  of  life,  and  a  frank,  open,  benevolent 
face  bore  abundant  testimony  to  the  excellence  of  his  charac- 
ter. He  little  surmised,  when  invited  to  a  seat  in  his  own 
parlor,  what  a  terrible  blow  was  about  to  fall  upon  him. 
Briefly  and  gently  the  situation  was  explained.  Rage  suc- 
ceeded the  shock  of  astonishment.  Driven  almost  frantic  by 
the  intelligence,  and  stung  with  resentment  that  years  of 
watchful  care  and  devoted  affection  should  be  thus  requited, 
he  started  to  lay  violent  hands  upon  the  cowering  girl.  It 
required  all  the  tact  and  persuasiveness  of  the  detective  to 
rescue  the  daughter  from  the  wrath  of  the  father.  He  "rea- 
soned and  pleaded  for  the  erring  child  as  earnestly  as  if  his 
own  fate,  and  not  that  of  another,  hung  upon  the  issue.  At 
length,  anger  yielded  to  pity,  and,  clasping  in  his  arms  the 
frail  penitent,  the  fond  parent  exclaimed  in  broken  accents, 
w  My  child,  my  child  !  if  the  whole  world  unites  in  calling  you 
a  sinner,  the  heart  of  your  poor  old  father  will  be  a  safe  home 
for  you  always  —  only  it  does  ache  a  little  now,  Rebecca." 

After  comparative  calm  had  been  restored,  the  officer  called 


THE    FATHER    RELENTS. 


469 


the  father  aside,  and,  having  expressed  in  few  words  his  own 
earnest  sympathy  for  the  family  in  its  troubles,  explained  his 
purposes  in  regard  to  the  case.  Said  he,  "It  is  not  my  inten- 
tion to  press  the  charges  against  your  daughter  unless  directed 

to    do    so    by   the    authorities    at 
Washington.     In    reporting    the 
facts,   I  shall  urge    the    exercise 
of  clemency,  believing,  in  view 
of  the  extraordinary  circumstan- 
ces, that  great  harm  and  no  good 
would  come  from  a  rigorous  exe- 
cution of  the  law. 
If  mercy  is  shown 
to   the    wrong-do- 
er, full  restitution 
must   be  made  to 
all  who  have  suf- 
fered by  her  mis- 
conduct.    Here  is 
a  list  made  out  by 
your     daughter ; " 
handing   him    the 
paper. 

"It  is  certainly 
my  desire  to  reim- 
burse the  losers," 
replied  the  dea- 
con ;  *  and  what- 
ever turn  the  affair 
may  take,  I  cannot 


44 'My  child,  my  child!  if  the  whole  world  unites  in 
calling  you  a  sinner,  the  heart  of  your  poor  old 
father  will  be  a  sate  home  for  you  always  —  only 
it  does  ache  a  little  now,  Rebecca.' " 


rest  easy  till  this  has  been  done.  But  you  must  aid  me,  for 
in  my  distracted  condition  I  am  unable  to  manage  a  business 
of  this  delicacy  without  provoking  suspicions  which  would 
annoy  me  greatly  and  benefit  no  one." 

*I  shall  be  most  happy,  Deacon  Starr,"  replied  the  officer, 


470  THE  DEACON'S  DAUGHTER. 

w  to  serve  you  in  any  way  in  my  power ;  and  after  the  decision 
of  the  department  is  received,  I  will  return  and  attend  to  the 
details.  Meanwhile  I  shall  hold  you  responsible  for  the 
appearance  of  your  daughter." 

Both  father  and  child  grasped  warmly  the  hand  of  the  spe- 
cial agent  as  he  took  his  departure,  for  both  regarded  him  as 
a  friend. 

Four  days  later  he  returned.  During  the  interim  he  had 
communicated  the  facts  to  the  department,  and  received  its 
sanction  for  what  he  had  done  and  for  what  he  proposed  to  do. 
But  what  a  change  those  four  days  had  wrought  in  the  appear- 
ance of  Rebecca  Starr !  The  luster  had  vanished  from  her 
eye,  the  color  from  her  cheeks,  and  the  elasticity  from  her  step. 
Pale,  haggard,  apprehensive,  she  showed  how  far  the  iron  had 
entered  her  soul.  When  it  was  announced  that  the  authori- 
ties had  consented  to  condone  the  offense,  her  face  brightened 
somewhat  at  the  good  news,  but  the  deep  furrows  plowed 
by  mental  agony  still  bore  silent  witness  to  the  intensity  of 
her  suffering. 

It  now  only  remained  to  settle  the  losses.  During  the 
absence  of  the  officer,  Miss  Rebecca  had  made  a  few  addi- 
tions to  the  list,  which  covered  all  thefts  that  she  could  remem- 
ber, and  embraced  every  case  reported  to  the  department, 
besides  many  others  which  first  came  to  the  knowledge  of  the 
special  agent  through  her  confession.  Deacon  Starr  placed 
in  his  hands  the  funds  required  to  indemnify  the  sufferers,  and 
he  set  forth  on  the  mission.  In  a  large  majority  of  instances 
the  persons  called  upon  manifested  no  disposition  to  inquire 
why  or  how  their  money,  or  the  value  of  their  lost  goods, 
was  restored  to  them  by  a  strange  official,  either  from  a  mis- 
taken idea,  quite  prevalent  even  among  well-informed  people, 
that  the  post-office  department  is  responsible  for  the  valuables 
intrusted  to  its  custody,  or  because  the  feeling  of  joy  at  the 
recovery  of  the  missing  treasures  overpowered  the  weaker 
emotion  of  curiosity.  A  few  asked  troublesome  questions, 
but  were  easily  bluffed  and  shaken  off.  One  old  gentleman, 


PERPLEXING    INTERROGATORIES.  •     47^ 

however,  who  had  long  been  the  active  "justice  of  the  peace" 
for  the  township,  seemed  to  think  that,  in  virtue  of  his  official 
station,  it  was  his  duty  to  inquire  into  all  mysterious  pro- 
ceedings, and  to  suffer  nothing  outside  the  ordinary  current 
of  events  to  pass  unchallenged.  The  scenes  that  took  place 
at  his  house,  and  one  or  two  episodes  of  a  subsequent  date, 
are  so  unique  that  they  will  perhaps  bear  description,  though 
connected  incidentally  only  with  the  fortunes  of  Rebecca 
Starr. 

Nearly  all  the  losses  had  been  satisfactorily  settled,  only 
three  or  four  names  on  the  list  remaining  uncrossed.  The 
next  person  to  be  visited  in  the  order  of  convenience  was 
"Squire  Van  Buskirk,"  and  thither  accordingly  the  special 
agent  proceeded.  The  home  of  the  dignitary  proved  to  be  a 
neat  cottage  or  imitation  villa,  with  the  traditional  veranda 
in  front ;  and  a  sign  tacked  on  one  of  the  posts  announced 
that  therein  dwelt  "  George  Van  Buskirk,  Justice  of  the 
Peace." 

The  latch  of  the  outer  gate  closed  with  a  sharp,  admonitory 
click  as  the  officer  entered  the  inclosure.  The  bell  was  an- 
swered by  a  neatly  dressed  and  rather  pretty  girl  of  fifteen  or 
sixteen,  who  invited  the  stranger  into  the  parlor,  and  then, 
with  a  queer,  hesitating  look  at  the  folding-doors  in  the  rear 
of  the  apartment,  stepped  out  to  hunt  up  the  master  of  the 
establishment. 

The  furniture  of  the  room,  though  plain  and  antiquated, 
was  tastefully  arranged.  A  piano  stood  in  one  corner,  and 
the  vases  were  filled  with  freshly  cut  flowers.  While  medi- 
tating on  the  sad  events  which,  it  was  to  be  feared,  had 
blasted  forever  the  prospects  of  a  young  and  beautiful  girl, 
the  visitor  was  aroused  from  his  reverie  by  a  low,  half  stifled 
sigh,  as  if  from  a  weary  soul  that  in  the  struggle  to  suppress 
a  great  grief,  finding  the  strain  unbearable,  had  given  utter- 
ance to  the  moan  because  absolute  repression  was  longer 
impossible.  Turning  from  the  open  window  through  which 
he  was  gazing  abstractedly  upon  the  fields,  he  was  surprised 


472 


THE  DEACON'S  DAUGHTER. 


to  find  another  person  in  the  room,  for  no  footfall,  however 
gentle,  had  announced  the  new  arrival.  In  front  of  the  fold- 
ing-doors, staring  at  him  intently,  stood  an  elderly  woman, 
dressed  in  dark  material  entirely  destitute  of  ornament,  with 
long  hair  waving  freely  about  her  face,  and  an  expression  that 
defied  analysis.  Once  certainly  those  features  had  been  hand- 


*'  Apparently  satisfied  that  no  one  was  near  to  interrupt  the  colloquy,  she 
said,  •  Are  you  the  human  crittur  that  wants  to  see  my  old  man  ? ' " 

some,  and,  notwithstanding  the  ravages  of  time  and  trouble, 
they  were  still  not  uncomely.  From  the  stranger  her  eye 
darted  to  the  door  and  about  the  apartment  as  if  apprehensive 
of  danger  from  some  unseen  source.  Apparently  satisfied 
that  no  one  was  near  to  interrupt  the  colloquy,  in  an  uncul- 
tivated but  by  no  means  disagreeable  voice,  she  broke  the 


WNO    PLACE    FOR   A    MAN    OF   YOUR    CHARACTER."         473 

silence.  "Are  you  the  human  crittur  that  wants  to  see  my 
old  man?" 

Under  the  impression  that  the  girl  had  been  unable  to  find 
the  "  squire,"  and  had  sent  the  quaint  old  woman  as  substitute, 
the  visitor  bowed  graciously,  and  replied,  "Yes,  madam,  I 
did  wish  to  see  Squire  Van  Buskirk ;  but  if  you  are  his  wife, 
as  I  surmise,  I  can  perhaps  —  " 

Without  waiting  for  the  completion  of  the  sentence,  she 
glided  forward  noiselessly  from  her  position  on  the  opposite 
side  of  the  room,  and,  with  another  deep,  low  sigh,  remarked 
gently,  "  Be  seated,  sir,"  and  at  the  same  time  dropped  into  a 
chair  herself. 

The  atmosphere  of  the  room  was  growing  oppressive.  "If 
this  is  a  specimen  of  the  household,"  thought  the  gentleman, 
"the  sooner  I  am  off  the  better."  However,  not  to  be  too 
abrupt,  he  thanked  the  lady  for  her  courtesy,  and  obeyed. 
"Premising,"  began  he,  "that  I  am  addressing  Mrs.  Van  Bus- 
kirk,"—  here  he  paused  for  some  token  of  affirmation,  but 
none  came,  unless  another  sigh  could  be  so  construed, — "I 
have  called  in  reference  to  a  valuable  letter  mailed  to  your 
husband,  which,  I  am  informed,  failed  to  reach  him.  If  so, 
the  value  of  the  contents  will  be  refunded." 

'  Sir,"  said  the  old  lady  with  severity,  "this  is  no  place  for  a 
man  of  your  character." 

"Eh!  what,  my  dear  madam?"  answered  he,  completely 
astounded  at  her  sudden  and  unaccountable  change  of  de- 
meanor, "you  surely  must  have  misunderstood  me." 

"No,  no  —  no,  no!"  she  exclaimed,  waving  her  hands  in 
promiscuous  gesticulation,  and  sweeping  from  the  table  a  pile 
of  books,  "it  is  no  mistake.  It  is  true  —  true,  true." 

Here  a  reflex  movement  of  her  elbow  knocked  off  a  glass 
lamp,  which  with  the  shade  was  shivered  to  pieces  on  the 
floor.  Not  seeming  to  notice  the  catastrophe,  she  continued, 
raising  her  voice  to  a  scream,  "'Tis  true!  Hepzibah  Van 
Buskirk  knows  you.  You  shall  not  touch  that  clock  of  mine 
again.  It  ain't  stopped  strikin'  since  you  fixed  it.  Don't  you 


474  THE  DEACON'S  DAUGHTER. 

hear  it?"  She  placed  one  hand  to  her  ear,  and  listened  in- 
tently. 

The  officer  felt  piqued.  Long  experience  had  taught  him 
to  bear  compliments  and  petulance  with  like  equanimity,  but 
he  was  now  at  a  loss  to  surmise  what  there  was  in  his  appear- 
ance which  caused  the  matron  to  mistake  him  for  an  itinerant 
clock-mender.  From  the  first  he  saw  that  she  was  strange  and 
eccentric,  and  he  now  began  to  suspect  that  she  was  a  lunatic. 
The  surmise  ripened  into  conviction  as  she  rose  from  the  chair, 
and,  standing  on  one  foot,  began  to  crow  in  a  low,  measured 
tone  that  rapidly  swelled  in  volume  till  the  clamor  filled  the 
house.  The  situation  was  becoming  exceedingly  painful  to 
the  unbidden  guest,  when  the  impromptu  concert  came  to  a 
sudden  close  at  the  sound  of  approaching  steps.  Breaking 
off  abruptly  in  the  midst  of  a  surpassing  effort  that  might  have 
excited  the  envy  of  the  noisiest  shanghai  in  the  flock,  as  the 
familiar  footfall  caught  her  ear,  she  waltzed  toward  the  fold- 
ing-doors, without  a  word  or  look  of  adieu,  and  disappeared. 

A  few  seconds  later  an  old  gentleman  entered  from  the  hall, 
and,  as  he  made  no  allusion  to  the  visible  confusion  and  ruin, 
the  visitor  remained  equally  silent  in  regard  to  the  manner  of 
his  entertainment.  "Squire  Van  Buskirk,  I  presume?" 

"  Yas,  sir.     What  kin  I  do  for  yeou?  " 

"In  May  last  you  lost  a  letter,  squire,  containing  ten  dollars. 
I  am  a  special  agent  of  the  post-office  department,  and  have 
called  to  make  the  amount  good." 

"Yeou  say  I  lost  a  letter  with  ten  dollars  in  it?  Yeou  seem 
to  know  more  abeout  my  matters  than  I  do.  It  is  kuerious 
that  a  total  stranger  should  be  prenaterally  informed  of  my 
affairs,  isn't  it  neow?  It  falls  right  into  the  spear  of  my  judis- 
viction  as  justice  of  the  peace  to  know  facks,  so  that  if  any 
adjestification  is  called  for,  I  can  act  peromptly." 

"Squire,  you  are  laboring  under  some  misapprehension. 
There  is  no  legal  difficulty  in  this  case.  I  simply  wish  to  see 

you  about  a  letter  written  to  you  by  Mr.  ,  and  said  to 

contain  ten  dollars." 


A    RURAL  JUSTICE. 

"Yas  (what  mout  I  call  your  name?),  I'm  aperiently  expe- 
renced  on  that  pint,  adzactly,  adzactly,  yas,  yas.  But  heow 
a  man  that  don't  bee  long  in  these  ere  parts  comes  to  git  enny 
idee  of  this,  is  what  prosterates  my  kalkelashuns.  Kum  take 
a  cheer.  What  did  yeou  say  yeour  name  was?  " 

The  stranger  had  not  yet  given  his  name,  but  not  wishing 
to  delay  business  by  withholding  immaterial  "  facks,"  he  an- 
swered, "  Sharretts." 

"Yas,  wall,  Mr.  Shattucks,  this  is  rayther  an  extereadinary 
biznis  of  yeourn,  and  I'm  opinionated  yeou  can't  play  enny  of 
yeour  sharp  tricks  on  me.  Yeou  compre'nd  I'm  justice  of  the 
peace,  and  by  Cezar  I've  got  to  find  out  heow  yeou  kum  to 
know  I  lost  a  letter  when  I  didn't  know  it  myself.  Yeou  hav' 
got  to  give  some  'count  of  this  perceedin' ;  for  sartain  sure, 
there's  suthin'  abeout  it  that  needs  rektifyin'.  Mout  I  ask  who 
yeou  be  ?  " 

"Certainly,  sir.  I  am  an  officer  of  the  post-office  depart- 
ment. We  have  had  complaints  of  losses  by  mail  in  this 
vicinity,  and  your  excellent  neighbor,  Deacon  Starr,  the  post- 
master, though  not  personally  responsible,  desires  for  some 
reason,  as  might  be  expected  from  his  just  and  generous 
nature,  to  indemnify  the  sufferers  fully.  I  have  called  to 
repay  you.  Please  write  a  receipt." 

"No,  sir,  Mr.  Skerry;  not  one  cent  of  Deekun  Starr's 
money  for  me.  I  don't  feel  sartain  it's  mine.  I  don't  know 
that  I've  lost  enny,  and  heow  yeou  found  it  out  is  what  tarnally 
mysteries  me.  Here's  whar  my  pints  of  law  kum  in.  I've 
bin  justice  of  the  peace  for  mor'n  thirty  year,  and  perpose  to 
adjesticate  this  questi'n  'cordin'  to  the  percedents." 

The  worthy  magistrate,  who  had  stood  so  long  on  the  ram- 
parts of  justice,  was  here  interrupted  in  the  midst  of  his  elo- 
quence. With  a  sudden  bang  the  folding-doors  flew  open,  and 
the  late  hostess  pirouetted  into  the  parlor,  brandishing  an  old 
clock-face  with  a  vehemence  that  suggested  broken  crockery, 
if  not  broken  heads.  Not  at  all  disturbed  by  the  warlike 
demonstration,  the  squire  rose,  and  simply  remarking,  "My 


476  THE  DEACON'S  DAUGHTER. 

wife  *s  a  leetle  off  her  pins  abeout  the  head ; "  he  gently  dis- 
armed her,  and  followed  her  into  the  back  room,  closing  the 
doors  behind  him. 

"  Now  is  my  chance,"  thought  the  officer ;  and  he  bolted  out 
of  the  house  with  very  unusual  precipitation. 

It  was  the  work  of  a  moment  to  untie  the  horse  and  jump 


"The  squire  emerged  from  the  door,  and  in  elaborate  legal  verbiage  commanded 
him  to  stop.  Not  to  be  outdone*  the  Amazon  of  the  clock  face  added  a  defiant 
crow." 

into  the  buggy.  As  he  gathered  up  the  reins,  the  squire 
emerged  from  the  door,  and  in  elaborate  legal  verbiage 
commanded  him  to  stop.  Not  to  be  outdone,  the  Amazon  of 
the  clock-face  added  a  defiant  crow  by  way  of  chorus.  The 
horse  started  off  at  a  brisk  trot,  however,  and  the  cottage 
with  its  odd  inmates  soon  disappeared  in  the  distance. 

Other  matters  so  engrossed  the  time  and  attention  of  the 


THE  JUSTICE    OX    THE    WAR    PATH.  477 

special  agent  that  Beulah  and  its  people  soon  passed  out  of 
mind.  Several  weeks  later,  however,  the  subject  was  recalled 
by  the  receipt  of  a  number  of  letters,  addressed  to  different 
officials,  but  forwarded  together  by  a  personal  friend,  the  post- 
master at  D .  All  were  the  handiwork  of  the  redoubtable 

Squire  Van  Buskirk,  "Justice  of  the  Peace."  These,  written 
to  the  United  States  marshal,  the  district  attorney,  and  the 
postmaster,  set  forth  that  events  had  recently  occurred  at  Beu- 
lah and  vicinity  which  scandalized  the  good  people,  and  de- 
manded thorough  investigation  at  the  hands  of  the  authorities. 
In  the  language  of  the  legal  luminary  who  now  proposed  to 
unearth  the  conspiracy  against  the  morals  of  the  neighborhood, 
"A  dandy-lookin'  chap  rid  about  the  kentry  in  a  bran-new 
kerridge,  pulled  by  a  white  hoss,  kiverd  with  a  new  and  most 
exterevigunt  harnis,  and  he  purtendid  to  be  payin'  up  of 
money  stole  from  the  post  offis,  and  altho'  as  Justice  of  the 
Peace  I  demanded  an  explenashun  of  his  extereordinery  per- 
cedin's,  he  feeloniusly  disclined  to  tel  enny  thing,  only  that  his 
name  was  Merricks  or  Sherricks,  and  that  he  was  agint  of  the 
gf  nrul  post  offis.  I  hiv  no  hesetashun  in  pernouncin'  him  a 
most  dangrus  swindlur  and  blankmaler,  and  in  deenouncin* 
that  as  sich  he  orter  be  percedid  agin  promtorily  cordin'  to  the 
stetu  in  sich  cases  made  and  pervided.  And  I  do  afurm  that 
to  the  best  of  my  nollige  and  beleef  ther's  suthin'  rong  at 
Stars  post  offis,  and  this  chap  Shetticks  was  hir'd  to  kiver 
it  up." 

The  old  gentleman  seemed  to  be  very  much  in  earnest  in 
the  crusade,  for  shortly  after,  other  missives  from  his  pen,  of 
similar  purport,  were  forwarded  to  the  special  agent  through 
friendly  officials,  whose  positions  brought  them  into  some  ac- 
quaintance with  the  real  facts.  He  even  wrote  to  the  depart- 
ment, "  exposin'  the  operashuns  of  the  pertendid  agint,"  and 
all  the  letters  finally  found  their  way  into  the  hands  of  the 
gentleman  whom  the  watchful  conservator  of  the  morals  of 
Beulah  was  determined  to  squelch.  So  far  from  causing  an- 


478 

noyance,  the  epistles  were  a  source  of  great  merriment  to  the 
little  coterie  familiar  with  the  secrets  of  the  case. 

Not  long  after,  an  opportunity  arose  for  turning  the  tables  on 

the  justice.  The  special  agent  happening  to  be  called  to  D , 

was  informed  by  the  assistant  postmaster  that  Squire  Van 
Buskirk  was  in  town,  stopping  at  The  United  States.  "  Let  us 
go  up  together,  and  see  if  he  will  recognize  me,"  said  the 
detective. 

"Very  well,"  replied  the  assistant;  and  they  sauntered  forth 
in  company. 

In  the  reading-room  they  found  the  old  gentleman  seated 
in  an  arm-chair,  dozing.  His  stiff,  iron-gray  hair  was  cut 
very  short,  after  the  manner  of  the  pilgrim  fathers.  A  quid 
of  tobacco  nestled  comfortably  in  his  half-opened  mouth,  while 
a  nose,  shaped  like  the  beak  of  a  hawk,  was  thrust  forward 
as  if  to  perform  the  part  of  a  sentinel.  At  the  moment  no  one 
happened  to  be  near.  Tapping  him  lightly  on  the  shoulder, 
the  detective  remarked,  "  Squire  Van  Buskirk,  I  believe." 

The  justice  wakened  with  a  sudden  start,  tilted  his  chair 
back  against  the  wall,  put  his  hat  in  his  lap,  and  replied, 
"Yas,  what'll  ye  hev?" 

"About  how  much  are  you  worth,  sir?"  inquired  the  special 
agent. 

"  Eh  !  what !  heow  much  am  I  wuth.  By  Cezar,  what's 
that  to  yeou?" 

"This  much,  Squire  Van  Buskirk.  Official  business  called 
me  to  your  place  several  weeks  ago.  I  was  engaged  in  the 
performance  of  my  duty,  and  succeeded  in  discharging  it  to 
the  satisfaction  of  every  person  interested  except  yourself. 
You  not  only  manifested  at  the  time  an  unwarranted,  imperti- 
nent, and  reprehensible  curiosity,  but  you  have  since  been 
flooding  the  country  with  letters  denouncing  me  as  a  black- 
mailer, and  otherwise  defaming  my  character.  It  is  my  turn 
now,  and  I  propose  to  have  satisfaction  by  suing  you  for  sum- 
mary damages,  and  I  want  to  know  how  much  you  are  worth, 


THE    TABLES    TURNED.  479 

so  as  to  fix  the  amount  of  my  claim.  I  shall  retain  able  coun- 
sel, and  proceed  with  dispatch." 

At  this  unexpected  announcement  the  justice  was  filled  with 
amazement  and  terror.  "Hold  on,  hold  on!"  he  exclaimed, 
each  particular  hair  standing  on  end ;  "  let's  adjesticate  this 
questin  Christin-like.  I  didn't  know  yeou  at  fust,  but  I  rekernize 
yeou  neow.  Yeou'r  the  agint  that  fixed  things  for  Deekun 
Starr." 

"As  you  now  remember  me,  and  also  call  to  mind  what  you 
have  done  in  the  premises,  you  understand  the  reasons  for  my 
course.  I  have  in  my  possession  a  number  of  your  slandeious 
letters  upon  which  I  propose  to  base  my  complaint." 

"Let  me  see  'em,"  demanded  the  justice,  eagerly. 

The  letters  were  produced  and  exhibited. 

"  Kin  yeou  prove  the  writin'  ?  " 

"Yes,  squire,  I  can.  Your  attempt  to  throw  a  doubt  on 
their  genuineness  may  seem  cunning  to  you,  but  it  will  avail 
nothing.  Again  I  ask,  how  much  are  you  worth?  If  you 
decline  to  answer,  I  can  get  the  information  at  Beulah." 

At  the  prospect  of  impending  ruin,  the  lion  of  the  law  and 
champion  of  sound  morals  began  to  beg  for  mercy.  And  he 
pleaded  his  cause  effectively,  for  though  perverse  and  obstinate, 
he  was  at  heart  kind  and  well-meaning.  He  admitted  the 
authorship  of  the  letters,  but  urged  in  extenuation  that  he  was 
so  distracted  by  the  care  of  a  crazy  wife  that  he  did  not  know 
what  he  was  about.  Sometimes  he  felt  as  if  he  was  more  than 
half  crazy  himself.  In  conclusion  he  said,  "I  beg  yeour  par- 
ding.  Consedcler  my  troubles  and  flusteration.  For  God's 
sake,  don't  take  what  little  I  hev.  I'm  nigh  on  to  sixty-four 
year  old,  and  my  work-time  is  past.  If  what  I  hev  is  took 
from  me,  me  and  my  poor  crazy  wife  will  both  die  in  the 
poor-house." 

At  this  the  old  man  broke  down  completely.  The  special 
agent  let  him  agonize  a  few  minutes,  believing  that  the  lesson 
would  be  a  profitable  one.  Then,  taking  him  by  the  hand,  he 


480  THE  DEACON'S  DAUGHTER. 

said,  "Squire  Van  Buskirk,  I  am  glad  you  realize  you  did 
wrong  in  trying  to  injure  an  innocent  man.  You  seem  to  be 
sincerely  sorry.  I  can  assure  you  I  have  no  desire  to  harm  a 
hair  of  your  head,  and  accordingly  I  shall  permit  the  matter 
to  drop  here.  But  let  me  urge  you  to  be  more  careful  in 
future." 

The  justice  was  so  rejoiced  that  he  was  ready  to  promise 
anything.  By  way  of  crazy  apology,  he  said,  at  parting,  "  I 
thank  yeou  for  not  puttin'  me  to  trouble.  I  kin  only  say,  if  I 
had  the  thing  to  do  over  agin,  I  wouldn't  do  it." 


Committing  the  Crime. 


N  a  dark  winter's 
night  the  post-office 
at  Hardee,  not  far 
from  our  western 
frontier,  was  bur- 
glariously entered, 
and  robbed  of  three 
registered  packages 
containing,  in  the 
aggregate,  about  one  hundred  and  seventy-five  dollars,  and 
of  two  bundles  of  ordinary  letters.  Mr.  Albert  Parlin,  the 
postmaster,  immediately  notified  John  B.  Furay,  the  nearest 
special  agent  of  the  department,  who  happened  at  the  time  to 
have  on  hand  two  very  important  cases  which  continued  to 
engross  his  attention  till  pushed  to  successful  completion.  Six 
weeks  elapsed  before  it  was  possible  for  him  to  reach  the  scene 
of  the  robbery. 

Parlin,  the  postmaster,  had  been  long  and  favorably  known  to 
the  detective.  About  sixty  years  old,  ingenuous  and  upright, 
his  integrity  had  passed  into  a  proverb.  To  be  "  as  honest  as 
old  Pap  Parlin"  was  the  highest  praise  in  the  vocabulary  of 
the  county.  He  held  the  office  by  the  divine  right  of  discovery ; 
and  the  public,  as  the  place  filled  with  settlers,  came  to  regard 
31 


482 


A   MYSTERIOUS    BURGLARY. 


him  as  the  ideal  postmaster,  created  expressly  for  the  position, 
and  unfit  for  anything  else. 

The  burglary  drove  the  poor  old  man  nearly  insane,  and  he 
felt  greatly  perplexed  and  aggrieved  that  the  special  agent  did 
not  drop  all  other  business  to  hurry  by  relays  of  horses  to  his 
rescue.  On  account  of  the  garrulity  of  the  old  gentleman,  the 
detective  did  not  dare  to  explain  the  urgency  of  the  work  that 
detained  him,  and  could  only  give  general  instructions  that 
every  scrap  of  evidence  and  information  should  be  carefully 
treasured  up  for  future  use.  For  the  first  few  days  Parlin  kept 
up  an  incessant  bombardment  with  letters  and  telegrams ;  but 
finding  that  the  fire  produced  no  visible  effect  on  the  move- 
ments of  the  special  agent,  he  resolved,  in  disgust,  to  conduct 


44  Midnight  conclaves  were  held,  notable  for  wisdom  and  gush." 

the  investigation  himself.  In  pursuance  of  the  new  programme, 
the  sheriff  of  the  county,  one  or  two  constables,  and  all  the 
"sharp  fellows"  of  the  town,  combined  to  catch  the  rascal. 


ARRESTED   ON    GENERAL    PRINCIPLES.  483 

Midnight  conclaves  were  held,  notable  for  wisdom  and  gush. 
Vain  was  it  for  a  thief  to  hope  to  escape  with  such  an  array  of 
talent  closing  in  upon  him.  Merit  soon  met  its  reward.  A 
vagabond  was  picked  up  and  thrust  into  jail  on  the  principle 
that  as  he  was  never  known  to  do  anything  else  for  a  living, 
he  must  have  done  this.  The  evidence  was  purely  inferential. 
Though  well  connected,  the  fellow  had  degenerated  into  a 
notorious  loafer,  and  was  seen  hanging  around  the  office  about 
eight  o'clock  the  evening  before  the  burglary.  It  was  under- 
stood, moreover,  that,  earlier  in  the  scale  of  decline,  he  had 
been  invited  to  leave  the  store  of  a  brother-in-law,  a  most 
estimable  gentleman,  for  till-tapping.  What  more  proof  was 
required  ?  The  court  of  Judge  Lynch  has  hanged  many  a  poor 
wretch  on  much  more  slender  evidence.  In  this  instance  the 
prisoner  was  dragged  fifty  miles  or  more  before  a  United  States 
commissioner,  and,  after  a  hearing  of  the  facts,  was  discharged, 
as  the  prosecution  failed  to  make  even  a  -prima  facie  case. 

On  reaching  Hardee,  six  weeks  after  the  robbery,  the  detec- 
tive found  that  the  postmaster  and  his  associates  in  the  investi- 
gation had  failed  to  develop,  or  even  to  discover,  a  single  clue. 
From  previous  statements  of  Parlin  he  fully  believed  that  the 
party  already  arrested  was  actually  the  criminal,  and  that  the 
local  authorities  had  broken  down  at  the  preliminary  examina- 
tion from  lack  of  skill  in  pursuing  the  trail.  When  brought  to 
the  rack,  however,  the  fellow  proved  an  alibi  ^  though  in  doing 
so  he  was  compelled  to  admit  that  he  passed  the  night  in  a 
manner  so  scandalous  that  nothing  less  than  the  prospect  of  a 
prison  could  have  extorted  the  confession. 

The  building  occupied  as  a  post-office  was  of  brick,  one 
story  high,  and  about  sixteen  by  forty  feet  in  size.  It  stood 
on  the  north  side  with  the  end  to  the  street,  which  ran  east 
and  west,  on  quite  a  steep  hill-side,  the  grade  rising  about  ten 
feet  between  the  front  and  rear  of  the  structure.  The  earth 
had  been  excavated  to  make  room  for  the  building,  so  that  the 
soil  at  the  north  end  fell  but  little  below  the  eaves.  In  the  west 
wall,  about  twenty-five  feet  from  the  front,  was  a  window  of 


484  A   MYSTERIOUS    BURGLARY. 

two  sashes  opening  upon  a  vacant  lot,  the  natural  surface  of 
which  nearly  corresponded  with  the  top  of  the  lower  sash.  It 
was  protected  from  the  falling  earth  by  a  little  circular  brick 
wall,  the  foundation  of  which  rested  on  the  level  of  the  sill. 
Though  unsightly  in  appearance,  it  had  evidently  been  cut  to 
give  a  draught  in  summer,  and  was  so  constructed  that  the  under 
sash  remained  immovable,  while  the  upper  one  could  be  lowered 
and  raised  at  pleasure,  being  held  in  place  by  a  stick  of  the 
proper  length  set  under  one  corner  inside.  When  the  support 
was  taken  away,  the  sash  dropped  by  its  own  weight.  It 
could  not  be  disturbed  from  without  except  by  first  breaking 
the  glass. 

On  the  evening  before  the  robbery  Parlin  made  up  the  mails 
for  the  several  routes  centering  at  Hardee,  all  of  which  were 
to  start  early  the  next  morning.  It  included  the  issues  of  two 
weekly  papers  published  in  the  village,  and  sent  to  the  office 
mostly  in  single  wrappers.  The  building  had  once  been  used  as 
a  book-store,  and  the  shelves  on  the  west  wall  still  remained  in 
place.  It  was  the  custom  of  the  postmaster  to  place  the  mails  for 
each  route  on  the  shelves  in  separate  piles,  and,  the  evenings 
before  they  were  to  leave,  to  conceal  outgoing  registers  under 
the  piles  to  which  they  respectively  belonged.  For  this  practice 
he  gave  two  reasons  :  first,  he  was  then  sure  not  to  forget  the 
packages,  or  send  them  in  the  wrong  direction;  and,  second, 
if  any  one  did  break  in  for  purposes  of  plunder,  the  thief  would 
not  be  likely  to  look  for  valuables  in  a  place  apparently  so  ex- 
posed yet  really  so  secure.  Ordinary  letters  were  tied  up  in 
bundles  and  laid  on  top  of  the  newspapers.  By  nature  and 
habit  the  postmaster  was  exceedingly  precise  in  all  his  methods, 
uniformly  pursuing  one  settled  routine. 

Registered  letters  for  local  delivery  were  kept  in  the  cash 
drawer  under  the  wicket.  Before  leaving  for  the  night,  it  was 
his  invariable  custom  to  count  the  funds  on  hand,  and  to  take 
home  everything  except  nickels,  mutilated  currency,  and  a  few 
silver  coins  that  had  gradually  accumulated.  On  the  evening 
in  question  there  was  no  departure  from  the  ordinary  course. 


APPEARANCES  AFTER  THE  ROBBERY.          485 

The  value  of  the  odds  and  ends  left  locked  up  in  the  drawer 
amounted  to  about  six  dollars  in  money  and  ten  dollars  more 
in  postage  stamps. 

No  assistant  was  employed  in  the  office  except  a  daughter 
of  the  postmaster,  about  seventeen  years  of  age, — the  two 
attending  exclusively  both  to  the  postal  work  and  to  the  news- 
stand. The  regulation  forbidding  admittance  to  outsiders  was 
enforced  with  great  strictness,  the  postal  code  being  rever- 
enced by  "  Pap  Parlin  "  second  only  to  the  Bible.  Business  in 
this  establishment  ran  with  the  precision  of  clock-work. 

The  night  of  the  robbery  he  locked  the  door  about  half 
past  nine  o'clock,  as  usual,  to  go  home.  On  returning  the 
next  morning  a  little  before  daybreak,  he  first  noticed  that  the 
upper  sash  of  the  west  window  was  down,  a  stiff,  raw  breeze 
pouring  in  through  the  aperture ;  and  on  striking  a  light, 
further  evidences  of  the  late  visitation  became  painfully  ap- 
parent. The  cash  drawer,  pried  from  its  fastenings  with  a 
small  axe,  lay  upon  the  table,  but  the  contents  had  not  been 
taken,  though  a  portion  of  the  stamps  were  scattered  about 
the  floor.  Of  the  coin,  nickels,  and  mutilated  currency,  not 
a  cent  was  missing,  the  exactness  of  the  postmaster  enabling 
him  to  decide  upon  this  point  without  hesitation.  The 
bundles  of  letters  placed  on  the  shelves  were  gone  as  well 
as  the  registers,  but  the  papers  were  undisturbed. 

Upon  examining  the  window,  he  found  that  a  couple  of 
small  bottles,  left  standing  on  the  sill,  had  been  removed, 
but  otherwise  the  dust  on  the  inner  surface  had  not  been 
disturbed,  except  in  one  spot  where  it  betrayed  the  toe- 
mark  of  a  large,  coarse  boot.  The  glass  in  the  lower  corner 
of  the  upper  sash  just  above  the  support  was  fractured.  A 
slight  snow-fall  partially  covered  the  ground,  but  it  was  not 
deep  enough  to  give  a  perfect  impression  of  the  boot.  With 
characteristic  preciseness  the  old  gentleman  had  preserved 
every  thing  material,  and,  so  far  as  appearances  were  con- 
cerned, had  taken  minute  and  exact  observations,  so  that, 
although  six  weeks  had  elapsed,  the  officer  could  hardly 


486  A    MYSTERIOUS    BURGLARY. 

have  been  better  equipped  for  the  investigation  had  he  ar- 
rived at  Hardee  the  next  morning. 

When  asked  if  any  one  besides  the  daughter  knew  where 
the  registers  were  kept,  the  postmaster  replied  that  he  was 
sure  no  one  but  himself  was  acquainted  with  the  place 
of  concealment.  Ordinarily  they  were  left  in  the  cash 
drawer,  and  it  was  only  on  evenings  preceding  tf  mail  days  " 
that  they  were  taken  out  and  hidden  under  the  papers.  The 
daughter  left  before  him,  and  he  was  uniformly  alone  when 
the  transfer  was  made.  This  statement  was  verified  by  the 
young  lady  herself. 

"How,  then,  did  the  fellow  whom  you  arrested  find  it  out?  " 
inquired  the  officer. 

"I  suppose,"  answered  Parlin,  "that  the  rascal  hung  around 
the  front  window  near  the  west  wall,  and  I  must  have  left  the 
inner  door  ajar,  so  that  he  contrived  to  peek  through  and  dis- 
cover the  secret.  I  can't  explain  the  matter  in  any  other 
way,  though' I  am  very  careful  at  such  times  to  keep  the 
door  closed.  You  can  infer  how  particular  I  have  been  in 
guarding  the  secret  from  the  fact  that  I  never  told  my 
daughter,  in  whom  I  have  the  utmost  confidence." 

Considerably  perplexed  but  not  disheartened,  the  detec- 
tive returned  to  the  hotel,  had  a  fire  kindled  in  his  room, 
pulled  off  his  boots  and  coat,  and  began  to  study  the  facts. 
A  great  crime  had  been  committed.  The  local  authorities 
had  exhausted  the  resources  of  their  ingenuity  to  discover 
the  criminal  without  avail.  At  the  same  time  the  public 
credited  him  with  the  possession  of  some  supernatural  gift  by 
virtue  of  which  he  was  expected  to  succeed  where  others  had 
failed.  Little  does  the  outside  world  appreciate  the  anxiety, 
the  heart-ache,  and  the  intense  mental  strain  experienced 
by  a  faithful  officer  whose  soul  is  in  his  work,  on  occasions 
like  these.  Thoughts,  theories,  intuitions  stream  in  upon 
him  involuntarily,  till  the  absorption  becomes  so  complete 
that  appetite  and  sleep  are  often  banished  for  days.  Under 
the  pressure  the  perceptions  become  preternaturally  acute, 


PHILOSOPHICAL    EXPERIMENTS.  487 

so  that  he  is  sometimes  conscious  for  brief  intervals  of  a 
power  of  insight  far  surpassing  the  ordinary  range.  Es- 
pecially do  external  facts  pilot  him  back  through  the  plans 
and  motives,  the  contrivings  and  apprehensions  of  the  guilty 
mind  that  left  these  marks  to  betray  its  workings. 

All  the  sharp  men  of  the  village  had  been  hunting  as 
it  were  for  an  object  lost  in  the  dark.  That  it  was  gone 
they  well  knew,  but  when,  where,  or  how  to  look  for  it  was 
the  question  which  had  been  discussed  till  the  theme  was  worn 
threadbare.  Through  some  supersensual  vision  the  detective 
was  popularly  supposed  to  be  provided  with  a  lantern  to  assist 
in  the  search. 

One  peculiarity  of  the  robbery  struck  him  with  great  force. 
Why  did  not  the  thief,  having  the  opportunity,  appropriate 
the  money  and  stamps  in  the  cash  drawer?  This  was  the 
first  clue,  and  the  reader  will  see  how  skillfully  it  was 
pursued. 

The  detective  returned  to  the  post-office  for  a  re-examination 
of  the  window,  and  soon  discovered  what  he  believed  to  be 
another  important  point.  Having  carefully  replaced  the 
fragments  of  the  broken  glass,  he  soon  decided  that  the  frac- 
ture was  made  by  a  blow  from  some  sharp  or  pointed  heavy 
instrument,  delivered  with  a  short,  quick,  rebounding  tap 
from  the  inside,  which  simply  shivered  the  glass  without 
displacing  any  of  it.  Would  a  pane  of  glass  thus  broken 
actually  show  upon  which  side  the  instrument  impinged? 
The  discovery,  if  real,  could  easily  be  verified  by  experiment. 

Going  to  a  blacksmith's  shop,  the  detective  procured  a 
small  chunk  of  scrap-iron,  and  proceeding  thence  to  a 
lumber-yard,  bought  a  glazed  sash,  which  he  took  to  a  re- 
tired gulch  beyond  the  outskirts  of  the  village,  where  he 
could  prosecute  philosophical  inquiries  without  fear  of  annoy- 
ance or  interruption.  Experiment  fully  sustained  the  theory 
formed  on  inspecting  the  window  at  the  post-office.  Before 
the  sash  was  exhausted,  he  could  in  every  instance,  from  the 
appearance  of  the  fracture,  tell  from  which  direction  the 


488  A    MYSTERIOUS    BURGLARY. 

blow  came.  Where  a  pane  of  well-glazed  glass  is  struck 
quickly  with  any  instrument  presenting  but  a  small  point 
of  contact,  the  surface  that  receives  the  blow  will  be  pul- 
verized and  look  white,  while  the  opposite  surface  will  chip 
off,  the  fragments  flying  away  from  the  point  of  force,  and 
leaving  usually  a  cone-shaped  space  behind.  The  character- 
istics are  unmistakable. 

These  experiments   demonstrated   that  the  window  at  the 


"  Before  the  sash  was  exhausted,  he  could  in  every  instance,  from  the  ap- 
pearance of  the  fracture,  tell  from  which  direction  the  blow  came." 

post-office  could  only  have  been  broken  from  the  inside. 
Again  the  detective  returned  to  the  office  prepared  to  sub- 
ject the  fragments  of  glass  to  still  closer  scrutiny.  The 
manner  in  which  the  piece  found  upon  the  floor  was 
chipped  in  one  place  along  the  inner  edge,  indicated  that 
it  had  been  first  pushed  out  and  then  back  again.  The 
upper  fragment  found  in  the  walled  recess  was  probably 
driven  thither  by  the  force  of  the  original  blow.  The 


INFERENCES    RESPECTING    THE    ROBBER.  489 

under  piece  could  then  be  removed  by  gently  working  it 
backward  and  forward  from  either  side,  to  suit  the  conven- 
ience of  the  operator. 

The  removal  of  the  registers  without  disarranging  the  super- 
incumbent papers  showed  that  the  burglar  knew  exactly  where 
to  look  for  them.  Why  was  the  cash  drawer  pried  open? 
Manifestly  because  the  thief  was  aware  that  valuable  pack- 
ages were  ordinarily  kept  there.  Why  did  he  not  take  the 
money  and  stamps,  for  plunder  was  the  only  object  of  the 
visit,  and  burglars  do  not  often  discard  property  in  so  port- 
able and  current  a  form?  Obviously  he  is  some  friend  of 
Parlin,  sufficiently  versed  in  the  regulations  of  the  depart- 
ment to  know  that  the  postmaster  is  not  pecuniarily  respon- 
sible for  the  contents  of  letters  stolen  from  his  custody, 
whether  registered  or  ordinary,  but  that  he  is  responsible 
for  stamps  and  for  the  proceeds  of  their  sale.  The  burglar 
aimed  to  so  regulate  the  affair  as  to  rob  individuals  outside 
without  damaging  the  pocket  of  Parlin.  Yes,  he  must  be 
a  friend,  and  a  very  close  friend  too,  who  has  had  familiar 
access  to  the  office,  and  who  in  preparation  for  the  raid 
contrived  in  some  way  to  break  the  glass  while  on  the  in- 
side. Perhaps  he  had  a  false  key  to  the  door,  in  which  case 
he  must  have  smashed  the  window  and  escaped  that  way  as 
a  blind. 

At  this  stage  of  the  investigation,  the  facts  seemed  to 
bear  heavily  against  the  old  man  himself.  On  the  other 
hand,  a  pure  and  exemplary  life,  hitherto  untarnished  by 
the  slightest  imputation  of  dishonesty,  entitled  him  to  a 
generous  measure  of  confidence.  Besides,  persons  of  exact, 
methodical  habits,  whose  thoughts  and  actions  run  in  the 
grooves  of  routine,  are  the  last  on  earth  to  step  outside 
the  familiar  ruts  for  the  purpose  of  committing  crime.  Such 
characters  not  only  keep  out  of  the  way  of  temptation,  but 
even  when  the  foundations  of  virtue  are  sapped  by  insidi- 
ous influences,  yield  very  slowly  and  only  after  long  re- 
sistance. 


49°  A   MYSTERIOUS    BURGLARY. 

Guided  by  the  clues  already  in  hand,  the  detective  pro- 
ceeded to  make  indirect,  cautious  inquiries  in  reference  to 
the  family  and  intimate  associates  of  the  postmaster.  Be- 
sides the  daughter  employed  in  the  office,  he  had  two  grown 
sons,  one  of  whom  migrated  from  the  county  a  long  time 
before,  and  had  not  for  many  months  gladdened  the  home- 
stead with  his  presence ;  and  another,  then  residing  a  short 
distance  beyond  the  limits  of  the  town,  who  enjoyed  the 
reputation  of  having  been  a  wild,  dare-devil  sort  of  a  boy, 
but  who,  on  marrying  a  couple  of  years  before,  "had  settled 
down  into  a  pretty  fair  man,  though  awful  poor,"  as  a  villager 
put  the  case.  He  had  no  continuous  occupation,  but  did 
odd  jobs  as  he  could  find  employment,  laboring  just  about 
enough  to  keep  actual  starvation  from  the  door.  Once  he 
acted  as  clerk  in  the  post-office,  but  having  incurred  the 
displeasure  of  his  father  at  the  time  of  his  marriage,  he  lost 
the  position  permanently.  Occasionally,  however,  "  the  old 
man  still  helped  Josh  a  little,"  notwithstanding  the  previous 
quarrel. 

The  detective  also  learned  that,  two  or  three  weeks  prior 
to  the  robbery,  the  wife  of  Joshua  Parlin,  in  talking  over 
family  affairs,  wept  bitterly  at  the  poverty  which  excluded 
her  from  the  enjoyment  of  the  barest  comforts  of  existence. 
Since  then,  in  conversation  with  the  same  party,  no  refer- 
ence whatever  had  been  made  to  the  subject.  Wishing  to 
push  this  line  of  inquiry  still  further,  he  gave  his  informant, 
the  wife  of  an  honest  blacksmith  and  a  perambulating  gazette 
of  local  intelligence,  a  ten-dollar  note,  with  instructions  to 
call  on  the  family  of  young  Parlin,  and  to  report  what  evi- 
dences she  could  observe  of  recent  purchases.  No  time  was 
lost  in  the  execution  of  the  errand.  Within  an  hour  the 
"  gazette "  returned,  crammed  with  news  enough  for  four 
editions  and  an  extra.  Before  removing  her  bonnet,  or  tak- 
ing a  seat,  she  "let  her  tongue  loose,"  and  hardly  paused  for 
breath  till  her  stock  of  discoveries  was  exhausted.  "Why, 
la  sakes  alive,  I  should  think  I  did  see  something  !  She's  got 


A   PERAMBULATING    GAZETTE. 


49I 


a  bran  new  dress,  —  a  nice  one  it  is,  too,  —  and  a  new  hat, 
and  a  new  clothes-wringer,  and  a  new  baby-crib,  don't  you 
think  ;  and,  laws  of  mercy  !  a  whole  bolt  of  bleached  muslin 
lying  on  the  bureau.  She  says  they  have  been  down  to  her 
uncle's  and  cousin's,  in  Washington  County,  and  that  the 
wagon  broke  near  Jericho,  where  they  had  a  dreadful  time, 


"  Before  removing  her  bonnet,  or  taking  a  seat,  she  « let  her  tongue  loose,'  and 
hardly  paused  for  breath  till  her  stock  of  discoveries  was  exhausted." 

and  had  to  stay  all  night.  Her  uncle  gave  them  a  cow 
which  they  left  till  spring  on  the  farm  of  a  cousin."  And 
thus  the  messenger  ran  on  like  the  singer  of  Horace  that, 
once  started,  could  not  be  stopped. 


492  A    MYSTERIOUS    BURGLARY. 

Finally  the  schedule  of  items  reached  an  end,  when  the 
officer  interposed. 

"Madam,  you  have  done  well.  My  most  sanguine  expec- 
tations are  more  than  fulfilled.  Now  I  swear  you  solemnly, 
by  the  great  stick  of  Moses,  never  to  mention  this  matter  to  a 
living  soul  as  long  as  you  live.  At  this  time  especially  an  in- 
discreet word  might  frustrate  all  my  plans." 

"  La,"  replied  the  gazette,  "trust  me  for  that.  I  reckon  I 
know  how  to  keep. my  mouth  shut." 

In  less  than  an  hour  the  detective  was  on  the  road  to  Wash- 
ington County,  thirty-five  miles  distant.  At  Jericho,  four 
miles  below,  he  too  had  business  at  the  blacksmith's  shop,  and 
learned  that,  two  or  three  weeks  before,  Joshua  Parlin  had  paid 
four  dollars  and  a  half  for  a  new  axle.  At  the  store  across 
the  way  he  had  also  purchased  arctic  overshoes  for  himself 
and  wife,  at  two  dollars  and  a  quarter  a  pair,  and  a  hat  for 
three  dollars,  making  a  total  expenditure  here  of  twelve  dol- 
lars. 

He  pushed  on  till  midnight,  and  starting  again  before  day- 
light, took  breakfast  at  the  house  where  the  Parlins  lodged  on 
the  way  down.  Here  eliciting  the  information  that  the  travel- 
ers had  made  a  detour  by  Olivet,  "  to  git  a  few  fixins  from  the 
store,"  as  the  farmer  expressed  it,  he  followed  over  the  same 
route,  tracing  a  cash  expenditure  of  twenty-seven  dollars  and 
sixty  cents  more.  Thence  he  drove  to  the  house  of  the  cousin 
who  was  keeping  the  cow,  and,  examining  the  herd  in  the  role 
of  a  cattle-buyer,  found  that  he  was  wintering  two  cows  in- 
stead of  one,  for  a  "  cousin  in  Hardee,  who  bought  them  while 
on  a  visit  below."  Below  he  accordingly  hurried,  and  before 
night  learned  that  the  animals  were  bought  for  twenty-five  and 
thirty  dollars  respectively,  and  were  paid  for  in  cash. 

Well  satisfied  with  the  results  of  the  trip,  the  officer  returned 
to  Hardee,  to  learn  that  "Josh  "  was  absent  from  home,  and 
would  not  return  till  the  following  day.  Not  wishing  to  meet 
any  one  whom  he  had  seen  in  Washington  County,  as  the 
object  of  the  late  journey  might  thus  be  prematurely  exposed, 


THE    POSTMASTER    QUERULOUS.  493 

he  drove  out  twenty  miles  in  the  opposite  direction,  on  other 
post-office  business,  and  returned  early  the  next  afternoon. 
Before  night  he  learned  that,  since  the  robbery,  young  Parlin 
had  actually  expended  in  the  village  ten  dollars  for  corn,  nine 
dollars  for  the  wringer,  eight  dollars  for  a  clock,  and  eight 
dollars  for  the  crib,  besides  making  two  final  payments  of  five 
dollars  each  on  a  sewing-machine.  The  money  traced  directly 
out  of  his  hands  during  the  period  reached  one  hundred  and 
thirty-nine  dollars  and  sixty  cents,  with  a  strong  presumption 
that  he  had  spent  other  small  sums  which,  from  the  nature  of 
the  case,  could  not  easily  be  tracked. 

Meanwhile  the  postmaster  was  greatly  disturbed  at  the  sup- 
posed inaction  of  the  detective,  and  did  not  hesitate  to  express 
his  disappointment  and  disgust  quite  freely  to  the  patrons  of 
the  office.  The  feeling  of  despondency  was  not  shared  by 
the  gentleman  whose  efforts  had  failed  to  satisfy  the  old  man. 
He  had  succeeded  in  picking  up  many  important  facts ;  and 
although  the  information  was  not  yet  in  shape  to  pass  current 
in  a  court  of  justice  as  legal  evidence,  it  was  like  gold  dust, 
very  precious  in  itself,  and,  in  the  hands  of  a  skillful  workman, 
easily  coined  into  a  legal  tender  that  no  judge  or  jury  would 
refuse. 

For  three  days  and  two  nights  the  detective  had  scarcely 
taken  time  to  eat  or  to  sleep,  having  driven  in  a  buggy  about 
one  hundred  and  sixty  miles,  stopping  only  long  enough  at 
different  points  to  gather  the  facts  essential  to  the  successful 
development  of  his  plans.  It  was  now  Saturday  evening,  and 
the  hour  had  come  for  forcing  matters  to  a  crisis. 

Shortly  after  dark  he  went  to  the  post-office,  and  taking 
aside  the  poor  old  man  who  had  never  done  any  one  a  willful 
wrong,  he  said  to  him, — 

"Well,  Pap  Parlin,  I  am  sorry  to  hear  that  you  have  lost 
faith  in  me.  There  are  few  men  whom  I  hold  in  higher  re- 
gard than  I  do  you,  and  one  is  naturally  pained  to  part  with 
the  approval  of  the  good.  Yesterday  and  to-day  you  have 
said  several  hard  things  about  me ;  but  this  I  shall  not  resent. 


494  A   MYSTERIOUS    BURGLARY. 

I  have  not  been  idle,  or  '  mysterious  to  no  good  purpose,'  as 
you  may  think,  and  as  you  rather  unadvisedly  have  said. 
Where  I  have  been,  and  what  I  have  done,  perhaps  you  will 
never  know.  But  now,  and  right  here,  I  mean  business.  Be- 
lieving you  to  be  a  man  of  truth,  I  ask  you  to  tell  me  how 
much  money  —  not  provisions  or  clothing,  but  money  —  you 
have  given  your  son  Joshua  since  the  occurrence  of  the  rob- 
bery." 

Not  quick  of  perception  at  best,  and  somewhat  dazed  by 
this  sudden  and  unexpected  attack  on  the  flank,  the  old  gentle- 
man barely  saw  that  the  shot  was  aimed  either  at  himself  or  at 
Joshua,  but  could  not  decide  which.  Too  conscientious  to 
prevaricate,  and  too  confused  to  comprehend  the  object  of  the 
trap,  he  replied,  — 

"Well,  Furay,  I  don't  know  what  you  are  trying  to  get  at ; 
but  Til  tell  you  as  near  as  I  can  remember.  I  gave  him  at  one 
time  —  let  me  see  —  three  dollars;  at  another,  two  dollars. 
Once  I  gave  his  wife  two  dollars.  O,  since  then  I  may  have 
let  both  together  have  eight,  ten,  or  possibly  twelve  dollars ; 
but,  all  told,  I  don't  think  it  would  exceed  ten." 

"  Now,  Mr.  Parlin,  state  what  other  means,  if  any  within 
your  knowledge,  Joshua  has  of  obtaining  money." 

A  light  broke  upon  the  old  man,  the  first  ray  that  for  him 
had  ever  glimmered  upon  a  mystery  hitherto  inscrutable.  Al- 
most swooning  under  the  blow,  he  exclaimed  pathetically, — 

"My  God,  Furay,  you  don't  think  that?" 

"No  matter,  Mr.  Parlin.  Do  not  stop  to  speculate  on  any 
conjectures  of  mine.  Please  state  exactly  what  you  know." 

"  To  be  candid,"  answered  the  postmaster,  "  so  far  as  I  can 
judge,  he  has  earned  but  little  since  then,  and  his  total  income 
could  not  exceed  a  very  few  dollars.  Now,  for  God's  sake, 
my  dear  friend,  tell  me  what  you  mean." 

"  Mr.  Parlin,  excuse  me  for  the  present  for  not  complying 
with  that  request.  I  have  a  favor  to  ask  in  which  we  are  both 
interested.  You  must  remain  at  the  office  to-night  till  I  return, 
be  it  early  or  late.  Do  not  move  a  step  till  I  come.  If  I 


APPALLED    AT    A    NAME. 


495 


bring  any  one  with  me,  you  may  know  that  that  man  is  the 
burglar." 

Provided  with  a  pair  of  handcuffs  and  a  revolver,  —  for 
Joshua  was  reputed  to  be  desperate  and  dangerous  when  ex- 
cited,—  the  officer  started  for  his  house.  The  earth  was  cov- 
ered to  the  depth  of  a  foot  with  untrodden  snow ;  and  as  the 
storm  passed  off,  the  weather  turned  intensely  cold.  With 
overcoat  buttoned  to  chin,  he  felt  rather  too  much  cumbered  to 
meet  the  possible  attack  of  a  desperado ;  but  there  was  no  al- 
ternative, and  so  off  he  posted  alone,  reaching  the  cottage 
about  nine  o'clock.  The  lights  were  extinguished,  and  the 
family  in  bed.  Knocking  not  too  obtrusively,  he  soon  heard 
a  stir  within,  then  the  patter  of  bare  feet  across  the  room,  fol- 
lowed by  the  withdrawal  of  the  bolt.  Peering  through  the 
small  aperture  made  by  the  partial  opening  of  the  door,  the 
party  thus  aroused  inquired,  in  a  gruff  voice,  — 

"Who's  there?" 

"It  is  I,"  replied  the  muffled  stranger,  bolting  in  without 
ceremony,  "John  B.  Furay,  special  agent  of  the  post-office 
department.  You  have  heard  of  me,  and  know  what  I  have 
come  for.  Put  on  your  clothes,  and  go  with  me.  Quick  !  Not 
a  minute  to  lose  !  " 

As  the  name  was  announced,  the  wife,  in  bed  in  the  next 
room,  as  if  inspired  by  uncontrollable  terror,  raised  a  deathly 
scream  that  filled  the  house  with  its  clangor,  and  seemed  to 
ring  far  out  into  the  gloom  of  the  night.  The  noise  wakened 
the  baby  thirteen  months  old,  which  added  a  lusty  treble  to  the 
chorus.  There  stood  the  intruder,  enveloped  in  pitchy  dark- 
ness, and  half  appalled  by  the  tragic  notes  of  the  concert. 
Joshua  was  too  much  unnerved  by  the  unexpected  visit  to  con- 
trive, if  so  disposed,  any  measures  of  defense.  In  a  few 
seconds,  so  quick  were  her  movements,  the  wife  came  out 
partially  dressed,  with  a  candle  in  her  hand.  The  officer 
then  accompanied  Josh  into  the  sleeping-room,  and  stood 
by  while  he  dressed,  not  wishing  to  have  the  business,  sad 
enough  at  best,  interrupted  by  nonsense  or  needless  eccen- 


496 


A    MYSTERIOUS    BURGLARY. 


tricities,  which,  if  permitted  to  develop,  might  take  an  unpleas- 
ant turn. 

The  scene  that  ensued  when  the  unbidden  guest  was  about 
to  depart,  with  the  head  of  the  household  in  custody,  cannot  be 
described.  Throwing  her  arms  about  the  neck  of  her  hus- 


"  Put  on  your  clothes,  and  go  with  me !    Quick !    Not  a  minute  to  lose ! " 


band,  the  wife  cried,  the  husband  cried,  the  baby  cried,  the 
detective  cried,  while  the  child  soon  to  be  born  intensified  the 
pathos  of  the  situation  a  hundred-fold.  War,  famine,  or  pesti- 
tilence  could  produce  nothing  more  heart-rending. 

The  fact  may  not  generally  be  known,  but  in  moments  of 


THE    DREAD    MAGICIAN    COMES.  497 

intense  excitement  a  sudden  change  from  great  cold  to  the 
heat  of  a  warm  room  will  take  the  life,  the  virility,  the  mag- 
netic courage  out  of  a  man  as  quickly  as  boiling  water  will 
destroy  the  dignity  of  a  starched  collar.  This  was  what  hap- 
pened  to  the  officer,  the  extreme  difference  between  the  tem- 
perature without  and  within  completely  unnerving  him.  Per- 
spiration streamed  from  every  pore,  standing  in  large  beads 
upon  his  forehead,  and  the  strength  of  a  giant  turned  to  the 
weakness  of  a  child. 

The  array  of  facts  already  discovered,  all  pointing  in  the 
same  direction,  fully  convinced  the  detective  that  Joshua  Parlin 
was  the  burglar.  By  the  dim  light  of  the  candle  he  saw  that 
the  wife  also  knew  that  the  husband  was  guilty,  her  appre- 
hensions finding  expression  in  every  movement  and  look. 
Probably  the  pair  had  often  discussed  the  possibilities  of  dis- 
covery. More  conscientious,  and  predisposed  by  the  religious 
tendencies  of  the  female  mind  to  believe  that  retribution  will 
surely  overtake  crime,  the  poor  woman  had  evidently  lived  in 
constant  fear  of  the  explosion  that  sooner  or  later  was  to  shiver 
the  peace  of  the  household.  The  name  "  Furay,"  heard  often 
in  the  lonely  cottage,  had  become  invested  with  strange  ter- 
rors. Now  the  dread  magician  whose  phantom  had  haunted 
her  thoughts  by  day  and  her  dreams  by  night,  actually  stood 
there,  a  grim  fate,  preordained,  from  which  escape  was  impos- 
sible. 

The  manner  of  the  couple  was  the  more  significant  from 
the  fact  that  the  object  of  the  visit  had  not  been  disclosed. 
Nothing  had  been  said  about  an  arrest,  nor  had  an  allusion 
even  been  made  to  the  commission  of  a  crime ;  yet  the  actions 
of  both  presupposed  a  guilty  knowledge  of  the  facts.  The 
detective  felt  that  by  a  bold  push  he  could  extort  a  confession 
from  the  wife  without  resistance ;  but  under  any  circumstances 
his  generous  nature  would  recoil  from  taking  advantage  of  the 
weakness  of  woman  when  a  man  stood  by  more  deeply  in- 
volved in  the  wrong,  while  in  the  present  instance  the  condition 
of  her  health  required  that  she  should  be  rpared  all  unnecessary 
32 


498  A    MYSTERIOUS    BURGLARY. 

agitation.  He  was  now  especially  desirous  to  get  away  from 
a  place  where  the  bare  introduction  of  himself  by  name  had 
produced  such  terror. 

Opening  the  outer  door,  the  officer  said,  "  Come,  it  is  grow- 
ing late  ;  we  must  be  off." 

Again  clasping  her  husband  about  the  neck,  the  wife  ex- 
claimed, "O,  Josh,  I  shall  never,  n-e-v-e-r  see  you  again; 
O,  I  know  I  shall  not ! " 

"Mrs.  Parlin,  you  shall  see  him  again  to-night,"  replied 
the  officer,  whose  self-possession  was  now  fully  restored  by 
the  cold. 

The  two  men  started  in  the  direction  of  the  post-office,  and, 
after  walking  a  few  minutes  in  silence,  the  special  agent  re- 
marked, sadly,  "Well,  my  poor  fellow,  my  duties,  as  you 
see,  are  sometimes  terribly  painful,  but  what  on  earth  tempted 
you  to  draw  down  this  calamity  upon  the  heads  of  yourself 
and  of  your  little  family  ?  " 

With  considerable  coolness  he  answered,  "I  am  sure  I 
don't  know  what  all  this  means,  and  I  wish  you'd  tell  me." 

"Joshua,  it  is  too  late  to  attempt  to  play  the  game  of  pre- 
tended ignorance  or  innocence.  I  have  been  at  work  on  your 
case,  and  happily  have  succeeded  in  unraveling  the  facts. 
You  foolishly  thought  no  one  would  ever  find  it  out ;  but  I 
have  tracked  you,  step  by  step,  and  now  know  all.  When 
you  resolved  to  sell  yourself,  body  and  soul,  to  Satan,  couldn't 
you  find  some  other  person  to  rob  besides  your  poor  old  gray- 
headed  father?  " 

"  I  didn't  rob  my  father.  What  do  you  mean  by  talking  in 
this  way  ?  " 

"Sit  down  on  this  log,  Josh,  and  we  will  see,"  pointing  to  a 
black  mass  by  the  roadside,  from  which  the  wind  had  driven 
the  snow.  Both  sat  down,  when  the  officer  continued,  "  How 
much  of  that  money  have  you  left?  Now  do  not  lie  to  me." 

"What  money?"  answered  he,  with  an  air  of  assumed 
indignation. 

"Ah,  you  miserable  rascal,  do  you  suppose  I  came  here 


A   FROSTY    DIALOGUE.  499 

this  cold  night  for  sport?  What  have  you  been  buying  prop- 
erty with  latterly?" 

"  What  property  ?  "  sneeringly. 

"  Certainly,  Josh,  you  must  take  me  for  an  idiot." 

"  I've  bought  no  property.     What  do  you  mean  ?  " 

"  Do  you  dare  tell  me  you  have  acquired  no  property  since 
you  robbed  your  father's  post-office  ?  " 

"Well,  no,  not  exactly.     My  wife's  uncle  gave  her  a  cow." 

"  Who  has  given  you  money  since  then  ?  " 

"  My  father  has  given  me  some." 

"How  much?" 

"I  don't  exactly  know." 

"Well,  then,  about  how  much?" 

"Not  a  great  deal." 

"No,  of  course  not.  I've  seen  your  good,  honest  father, 
and  know  all  about  that.  You  are  certain,  then,  you  have 
bought  nothing  since  that  event  ?  " 

"Yes,  sir,  I  am." 

"You  didn't  buy  a  baby-crib,  did  you?" 

"Yes,"  hesitatingly. 

"  You  didn't  go  down  to  Washington  County  a  few  weeks 
ago,  and,  breaking  the  wagon  near  Jericho,  pay  four  dollars 
and  a  half  for  repairs  ?  " 

"  Y-e-s." 

"And  buy  two  pairs  of  overshoes,  and  a  hat,  paying  for 
them  in  money?" 

"  Y-e-s,"  very  slowly. 

"Well,  sir,  what  else  have  you  bought  since  then?" 

"Not  another  thing,  as  sure  as  I  live." 

"Be  careful,  Josh,  very  careful.  Before  speaking  so  pos- 
itively, it  may  be  well  to  refresh  your  memory." 

"That's  all.     I  know  it." 

"  Where  did  you  get  the  money  ?  " 

"  I  borrowed  it  from  a  fellow  that  used  to  live  over  in  Mis- 
souri." 

"  How  much  did  he  let  you  have  ?  " 


5OO  A   MYSTERIOUS    BURGLARY. 

"Twenty-five  dollars." 

"Well,  Josh,  I'll  not  trouble  you  to  invent  a  name  for  your 
very  accommodating  friend  from  Missouri.  Did  you  buy 
anything  at  Olivet?" 

"  No,  sir,  I  did  not." 

"You  are  sure  on  that  point?" 

"Yes,  I  am." 

"  Tell  me  about  the  cow." 

"  My  wife's  uncle  made  her  a  present  of  that." 

"  Why  didn't  you  bring  her  home?  " 

Both  parties  in  the  dialogue  were  growing  very  cold,  and 
the  battle  threatened  to  turn  on  their  respective  powers  of 
endurance. 

"I  had  no  place  to  put  her  in,"  answered  the  burglar,  with 
a  shiver. 

"  No ?     Well,  that's  all  you  bought?  " 

"I  didn't  buy  her." 

"You  do  not  understand  me,  Josh.  Let  me  state  the  case 
again.  You  mean  to  say  that  all  the  articles  you  purchased 
have  been  enumerated,  and  that  you  paid  for  them  out  of  the 
twenty-five  dollars  borrowed  from  your  friend  in  Missouri?" 

"Yes,  sir,  that  is  just  exactly  what  I  mean  ;  and  I  don't  see 
why  I  am  put  to  all  this  trouble." 

"Never  mind,  Joshua  Parlin,  I  promise  you  shall  be  abun- 
dantly satisfied  on  that  point,  further  on.  Knowledge,  infor- 
mation, facts  are  a  good  thing  to  have,  Josh,  as  I  will  show 
you  in  due  time.  You  have  heard  of  me  before?" 

"Yes,  sir." 

"What  have  you  heard  of  me?" 

"  Father  scolded  because  you  didn't  come  down  and  look 
into  the  burglary.  He  thought  you  could  find  out  who  broke 
into  the  office.  He  kept  wishing  that  you  would  hurry  up 
and  catch  the  fellow." 

"That  was  real  kind  in  your  father.  Now,  Josh,  come 
down  to  dots,  and  tell  me  what  you  wished." 

"  I  don't  know  as  I  had  much  thought  about  it." 


DARKNESS   AS   A   SCREEN.  5OI 

"No?" 

"No,  I  didn't." 

The  winds  shrieked  through  the  naked  tree-tops,  and  the 
darkness  threw  a  friendly  screen  over  the  features  of  the  rob- 
ber. How  the  officer  wished  for  a  few  moments  of  daylight, 
that  he  might  look  down  into  those  false  eyes,  and  force  the 
surrender  of  the  well-guarded  secret.  But  the  masked  bat- 
tery must  be  carried,  even  by  the  light  of  the  frosty  stars. 
"Joshua,"  he  continued,  "  I  wonder  if  all  men  who  steal  are 
also  atrocious  liars.  What  do  you  think  about  it?" 

"  I  never  thought  much  about  it." 

"Well,  there  is  where  we  differ,  Josh.  I  have,  and  am 
prepared  to  express  an  opinion.  You  are  a  thief.  You 
robbed  the  post-office  —  robbed  your  good,  honest  father, 
whose  soul  is  as  free  from  guile  as  that  of  the  infant  in  the 
cradle.  It  overwhelms  me  with  amazement  that,  with  the 
whole  world  before  you,  you  should  begin  on  him.  Yes, 
Josh,  you  are  a  thief.  You  know  it,  and  I  know  it.  What 
we  two  know  so  well  in  common  we  can  certainly  talk  about. 
Up  to  this  time  you  have  uttered  nothing  but  falsehoods. 
Now  I  am  going  to  show  you  how  unavailing  is  the  refuge  of 
lies,  how  great  crimes  leave  footprints  at  every  step.  Where 
did  you  get  the  money  to  pay  Tread  well,  the  store-keeper  at 
Olivet,  twenty-seven  dollars  and  sixty  cents  in  cash  ?  Where 
did  you  get  it,  I  ask?  Come,  talk  fast." 

"I  can  explain  that,"  answered  the  accused,  hesitatingly, 
"but  I  am  getting  cold  ;  "  and  his  teeth  chattered. 

"  Never  mind  the  cold.  I  am  used  to  it.  I  can  stand  it  all 
night.  To  follow  up  that  fatal  trip  to  Washington  County, 
why  did  you  lie  about  the  cow  ?  Why  didn't  you  report  truly 
that,  instead  of  receiving  a  present  of  one,  you  bought  two  of 
Timothy  R.  Davis,  paying  therefor  fifty-five  dollars  in  money? 
Shall  I  go  on  and  tell  all?  I  know  you  are  cold  out  here, 
but  I  want  the  truth  from  you,  and  the  truth  I  shall  have. 
Do  you  think  there  is  any  escape  from  the  penalties  of  sin? 
Can  you  break  away  from  the  network  of  facts  which  I  have 
happily  been  instrumental  in  bringing  to  light?" 


5O2  A   MYSTERIOUS    BURGLARY. 

"Let's  go  to  a  fire  somewhere,"  answered  Joshua,  despond- 
ently, "for  I  am  almost  frozen." 

"Fire  has  no  charms  for  me  now,"  replied  the  detective. 
"  I  have  borne  my  suffering  during  the  past  week,  riding  day 
and  night  in  the  terrible  cold,  without  sleep  or  rest,  pursuing 
your  tracks  through  Washington  County.  Such  is  the  trouble 
you  have  put  me  to  ;  and  now,  do  you  complain  about  a  little 
cold?  As  I  said  before,  we  both  know  all  about  this  matter, 
and  the  sooner  you  speak  candidly  the  better  it  will  be  for 
you.  How  much  of  that  money  have  you  still  left?  and  is  it 
in  your  hands,  or  in  the  hands  of  your  wife?  You  must  see, 
by  this  time,  what  supreme  folly  it  is  to  try  to  keep  up  this 
sham  longer." 

"Yes,  111  con  —  con  —  fess,  it  does  look  pretty  rough  on 
me.  Let's  go  to  a  fire,  and  I'll  tell  you  all  about  it,  and  I'll 
tell  the  truth." 

Had  there  been  a  place  whither  the  officer  could  have  taken 
the  burglar  alone,  he  would  have  started  instantly ;  but  there 
was  none,  and  as  yet  he  had  only  approached  the  "ragged 
edge"  —  very  near,  it  is  true,  but  not  so  near  as  to  commit 
himself  irretrievably.  Hence  he  answered,  decisively,  "  No, 
you  don't  go  to  a  fire  till  you  speak  the  truth.  How  much  of 
that  money  have  you  left?" 

It  will  be  observed  that  the  detective  scrupulously  avoided 
asking  the  offender  directly  if  he  committed  the  crime.  Such 
a  course  would  have  conceded  too  much,  implying  an  admis- 
sion of  weakness  where  it  was  important  to  appear  impreg- 
nable. The  questions  all  assumed  that  Joshua  was  guilty, 
but  touched  the  vital  point  obliquely. 

After  a  brief  hesitation,  the  poor  fellow,  shivering  with 
cold  and  fear,  stammered  out,  "  I  see  it  is  no  use,  Mr.  Furay, 
to  try  to  hide  it.  I  will  tell  the  truth.  I  don't  think  there's 
more  than  ten  dollars  left." 

"Now,  Joshua,  you  begin  to  act  like  a  man.  Which  of 
you  has  the  money?" 

"  My  wife  has  it,  with  the  exception  of  a  dollar  or  two." 


THE    BURGLAR    CONFESSES.  503 

The  long  struggle  was  over.  "  Now  we  will  go  to  the  post- 
office,"  said  the  special  agent,  "where  your  father  is  waiting 
for  us." 

It  was  nearly  midnight  when  the  two  men  entered  the  build- 
ing, the  daughter,  who  refused  to  leave  her  father  in  this  trying 
emergency,  opening  the  door  to  admit  them.  Without  a  word 
she  followed  to  the  room  in  the  rear,  where  a  light  stood  upon 
the  table.  The  old  man,  whose  hair  was  as  white  as  the  freshly 
fallen  snow  that  mantled  the  fields,  sat  motionless,  his  face 
wearing  a  ghastly  expression  of  anguish  and  despair.  For  a 
moment  no  one  broke  the  awful  silence.  The  special  agent 
was  the  first  to  speak.  In  a  tone  which  indicated  how  deeply 
the  unhappy  family  shared  his  sympathies,  he  said,  sorrow- 
fully, "  Mr.  Parlin,  we  are  here." 

The  father  arose  with  apparent  effort,  and  walked  away  in 
silence,  when  the  officer  motioned  the  son  to  a  vacant  chair, 
into  which  he  dropped  helplessly.  After  taking  two  or  three 
turns  up  and  down  the  room,  the  venerable  form  of  Albert 
Parlin  bent  over  the  bowed  head  of  his  child,  and,  scarcely 
able  to  articulate,  he  asked,  "Joshua,  my  son,  can  you  look  at 
me  and  tell  me  you  are  innocent  of  this  great  crime  ?  " 

The  son  neither  raised  his  eyes,  nor  uttered  a  syllable.  In 
that  pause  the  grief-stricken  parent  read  the  whole  story  of 
the  temptation  and  fall.  Turning  away,  he  walked  down  the 
aisle  behind  the  boxes,  wringing  his  hands  and  sobbing,  "  O, 
O,  my  God,  my  God !  what  have  I  done  to  deserve  this 
affliction?" 

The  daughter  ran  after  him,  and,  throwing  her  arms  about 
his  neck,  exclaimed,  between  kisses  and  tears,  w  Why,  father, 
dear  father,  he  has  not  said  he  is  guilty  ! " 

He  folded  the  girl  in  his  arms,  as  if  in  the  ruin  one  precious 
treasure  was  still  left,  and,  looking  down  into  her  upturned 
eyes  with  tender  confidence,  replied,  "O,  Dord  dear,  he  is, 
he  is  !  If  he  was  innocent,  he'd  have  said  so." 

Quick  as  a  gazelle  she  sprang  away,  and,  rushing  down 
the  length  of  the  room,  threw  herself  upon  the  neck  of  her 


A   MYSTERIOUS    BURGLARY. 


brother,  ner  pallid  face  streaming  with  tears,  and,  covering 
him  with  kisses,  ejaculated  imploringly,  "My  darling  brother, 
you  did  not  do  it,  you  did  not  do  it,  did  you?  O,  no;  you 
could  not,  you  could  not,  —  I  know  you  could  not !  " 

To  this  heart-rending  appeal  Joshua  made  no  reply,  but, 
dropping  his  head  upon  his  hands,  began  to  weep.  Partially 
recovering  after  a  short  interval,  he  said,  "Father,  I  want  to 
see  you  a  moment." 


"  Quick  as  a  gazelle  she  sprang  away,  and,  rushing  down  the  length  of  the  room, 
threw  herself  upon  the  neck  of  her  brother." 

At  this  point,  however,  the  special  agent  felt  called  upon  to 
interfere,  though  with  great  reluctance,  as  he  realized  that 
under  ordinary  circumstances  it  would  be  pre-eminently  proper 
for  the  penitent  son  to  go  out  alone  with  the  outraged  parent, 
and,  with  none  but  God  present,  to  fall  upon  his  knees  and 
implore  forgiveness.  But  the  case  was  not  yet  in  a  shape  to 
render  such  a  concession  allowable.  Accordingly  he  said, 


HOW  THE  DEED  WAS  DONE.  505 

"Gentlemen,  I  regret  that  my  duty  compels  me  to  object  to 
any  private  interviews  between  you.  A  moment's  reflection 
will  show  you  that  I  cannot  rightfully  permit  it.  The  conver- 
sation must  be  carried  on  in  my  presence,  but  you  can  talk 
freely." 

The  youth  choked,  cleared  his  throat,  and  for  the  first  time 
looking  up,  began  tremulously,  "It's  no  use  for  me  to  deny 
it.  I've  told  Mr.  Furay,  and  now,  father,  I  must  tell  you.  It 
almost  kills  me  to  think  how  wicked  I  am,  how  unworthy  of 
you  and  Dord.  I  am  guilty.  O,  what  cruel  fiend  possessed 
me!" 

The  sorrowful  group  gathered  more  closely  about  the  fire, 
when,  partly  of  his  own  volition  and  partly  in  reply  to  various 
questions,  he  told  the  whole  story  of  the  burglary.  On  the 
afternoon  preceding  the  crime,  he  happened  to  be  left  in  the 
office  a  few  minutes  alone.  Moody  over  the  penury  that  hung 
like  a  nightmare  upon  his  little  family,  he  gave  way  to  a  mad 
impulse  which  had  since  cost  a  thousand  unavailing  regrets. 
Seizing  a  tumbler,  he  wound  a  coarse  towel  around  it,  and 
struck  the  window  a  sharp  blow.  A  small  piece  was  pushed 
outward  so  that  its  edge  could  be  grasped  from  the  external 
walled  recess.  A  sheet  of  pasteboard  was  then  placed  over 
the  fracture  to  conceal  the  mischief.  This  preliminary  work 
was  done  in  the  daytime  for  fear  that  the  sound  of  breaking 
glass  in  the  night  might  attract  attention  and  lead  to  dis- 
covery. 

Late  in  the  evening  he  returned  through  the  deserted  and 
silent  street  to  complete  the  job.  It  was  the  work  of  a  mo- 
ment to  remove  the  shattered  fragments  of  glass  and  to  lower 
the  upper  sash.  Although  the  postmaster  was  not  aware  of 
it,  Joshua  had  stealthily  watched  his  movements,  and  knew 
just  where  to  look  for  valuable  packages.  He  pried  open  the 
cash  drawer  only  to  find  that  it  held  no  registers.  Creeping 
along  in  the  dark  to  the  piles  of  newspapers  on  the  side- 
shelves,  he  ran  his  hand  underneath  and  discovered  three. 
Seizing  these  and  several  packages  of  ordinary  letters,  he 


506  A   MYSTERIOUS    BURGLARY. 

made  his  exit  through  the  window,  and  hurried  home,  a 
stranger  thenceforth  to  happiness. 

After  a  restless  night,  Joshua  rose  early,  and  having  kin- 
dled a  fire,  sat  down  by  the  kitchen-stove  to  examine  the 
booty.  The  letters  were  tossed  into  the  flames  as  fast  as 
opened,  very  few  except  the  registers  containing  anything  of 
value. 

The  secret  of  the  newly-gotten  wealth  the  burglar  found  it 
impossible  to  keep.  Beset  by  his  wife  to  tell  where  he  ob- 
tained so  much  money,  he  finally  admitted  to  her  the  robbery. 
From  that  hour  peace  was  banished  from  their  habitation,  the 
poor  woman,  shocked  and  terrified,  looking  forward  to  speedy 
retribution  as  inevitable.  Often  the  wife  awoke  from  troubled 
dreams  to  discuss  with  the  husband  the  chances  of  detection, 
always  expressing  a  firm  belief  that  the  Lord  would  not  per- 
mit such  an  act  to  remain  hidden,  but  would  aid  the  "  mail 
agent "  to  find  it  out.  When  the  officer,  clad  in  her  imagina- 
tion with  the  attributes  of  the  Avenger,  did  really  appear,  the 
long  dreaded  visit,  as  previously  described,  drove  the  poor 
woman  to  the  verge  of  distraction. 

The  father  and  daughter  listened  in  silent  agony  to  the 
recital,  the  grief  of  the  young  woman  having  become  too 
deep  even  for  tears.  Joshua  Parlin,  after  the  ice  was  fairly 
broken,  seemed  to  find  relief  in  the  fullness  of  his  confession. 
Occasionally  the  special  agent  interpolated  a  question  with  the 
view  of  throwing  additional  light  upon  some  obscure  point  in 
the  narrative,  but  the  deathlike  stillness  was  broken  by  few 
interruptions. 

Nothing  burns  with  a  fiercer  flame  than  a  guilty  secret  in 
the  bosom  of  a  novice  in  crime.  The  hunger  for  partnership 
in  the  fatal  knowledge  is  so  intense  that  not  infrequently  the 
burdened  spirit  voluntarily  communicates  the  truth  to  some 
trusted  friend,  hoping  to  lighten  the  load  by  dividing  it.  So 
Joshua  Parlin  was  not  satisfied  till  the  little  group  knew  all 
that  he  knew  about  this  dark  and  torturesome  affair. 


MERCY    FOR    THE    PENITENT.  507 

It  was  very  late  when  the  story  of  the  burglar  came  to  an 
end.  The  special  agent  had  promised  Mrs.  Parlin  that  she 
should  see  her  husband  again  that  night,  and  back  they  ac- 
cordingly trudged  through  the  snow.  The  parting  between 
them  was  very  painful.  Said  the  detective  to  her,  aS  the  two 
men  were  about  to  leave  the  second  time,  "  I  promise  to  do  all 
in  my  power  to  have  your  husband  restored  to  you  as  soon 
as  it  can  be  done  under  the  law.  If  at  any  time  during  his 
absence  you  are  threatened  with  want,  let  me  know,  and  my 
purse  shall  be  freely  open  to  you." 

Both  promises  were  faithfully  kept.  The  same  night  the 
special  agent  left  Hardee  with  the  prisoner,  who  the  next  day 
was  lodged  in  jail  in  a  distant  part  of  the  state,  a  confessed 
felon. 

Albert  Parlin  refunded  all  the  stolen  money,  and,  when  the 
trial  came  on,  refused  to  employ  counsel  to  defend  the  son  who 
had  dishonored  the  name,  leaving  the  conduct  of  the  case 
entirely  to  the  discretion  of  the  special  agent.  After  the  jury 
had  been  called,  and  the  penitent  had  entered  a  plea  of  guilty, 
Mr.  Furay  arose  and  made  an  earnest  appeal  to  the  court  in 
behalf  of  clemency.  The  judge,  out  of  the  fullness  of  his 
heart,  did  what  he  had  never  done  before  in  the  case  of  a 
party  convicted  of  robbing  the  mails,  gave  the  minimum  sen- 
tence allowed  by  the  law  —  one  year  in  the  penitentiary. 

Having  served  out  his  term,  the  prisoner  returned  home, 
and  has  since  led  an  honest,  industrious,  and  reputable  life. 
The  entire  family  are  devoted  in  their  attachment  to  John  B. 
Furay,  knowing  that  he  tempered  justice  with  mercy,  and 
aimed  to  make  the  burden  bear  as  lightly  upon  them  as  the 
dignity  of  the  broken  law  would  permit. 

It  is  a  somewhat  singular  fact  that  honorable  and  truthful 
officers  almost  invariably  win  the  sympathies  and  lasting  good- 
will of  the  prisoners  whom  they  arrest,  unless  these  are  hard- 
ened, soulless  criminals  whose  better  natures  are  deadened 
by  vice.  While  all  men  should  be  dealt  with  truthfully,  there 


508  A   MYSTERIOUS    BURGLARY. 

is  no  reason  why  the  penitent  thief  should  not  also  be  treated 
kindly.  Let  the  poor  wretch  feel  that  he  is  not  friendless  or 
forsaken,  that,  through  pure  aims  and  virtuous  deeds,  the  path 
is  still  open  to  the  favor  of  man  and  to  the  blessing  of  God. 

"Teach  me  to  feel  another's  woe, 

To  hide  the  fault  I  see ; 
That  mercy  I  to  others  show, 
That  mercy  show  to  me." 


'N  the  early  days  of  recon- 
struction, after  a  ride  of  four 
hundred  miles,  the  cars  left 
a  special  agent  of  the  post- 
office  department  about  mid- 
night at  a  village  of  two  or 
three  thousand  inhabitants  in 
the  heart  of  Alabama.  The 
rain  came  down  in  sheets. 
Guided  by  a  dingy  lantern 
suspended  in  the  vestibule, 
he  made  his  way  to  the  near- 
est hotel,  which  stood  a  few 
feet  from  the  railroad  track. 
Southeni  hotels  at  that  pe- 
riod, more  especially  away 
from  the  leading  centers  of 
trade,  were  the  standing  hor- 
ror of  the  unfortunate  itiner- 
ants who  were  compelled  by 
the  exigencies  of  business  to  depend  on  their  cheer.  First- 
class  in  extortions,  and  so  poor  in  everything  else  as  to 
belong  to  no  class  whatever,  recognized  in  the  nomenclature 
of  travelers,  they  were  patronized  by  the  self-regardful  only 
from  necessity.  The  unhappy  mortals  whose  pursuits  kept 


5IO  THE    PATRIOTS    OF    '67. 

them  constantly  on  the  wing  gradually  settled  down  to 
an  acceptance  of  discomfort  and  bad  fare  with  the  stolidity 
which,  under  a  beneficent  law  of  nature,  comes  to  deaden 
the  sensibilities  by  habitual  contact  with  remediless  ills. 
As  the  country  recovered  from  the  desolations  of  war,  the 
hotels  improved  also,  so  that  the  hardships  referred  to  are  no 
longer  experienced. 


"  An  African  with  a  tallow  dip  led  the  way  to  the  sleeping  apartment." 

An  African  with  a  tallow  dip  led  the  way  to  the  sleeping- 
apartment.  It  was  located  in  front,  and  was  apparently  the 
choice  room  of  the  establishment.  Several  broken  window- 
panes  admitted  the  driving  rain  and  wintery  winds,  the 
water  standing  in  broad  pools  on  the  naked  floor.  It  was 
a  cold  night,  and  the  bed  was  very  thin.  Having  planted 
the  chair  which  held  his  clothing  in  the  center  of  a  min- 
iature lake  to  protect  it  from  invasion,  the  guest  resigned 


CHARACTERISTICS    OF  JUDGE    PERIWINKLE. 

himself  to  such  sleep  as  the  hardness  of  the  couch  would 
permit. 

About  the  middle  of  the  next  forenoon  the  storm  abated, 
and  he  sallied  forth  in  search  of  the  party  whose  commu- 
nications to  the  department  had  sent  him  thither.  The 
gravamen  of  the  charge  was  that  the  postmaster,  a  lady, 
was  guilty  of  prying  into  the  correspondence  of  the  com- 
plainant, delaying  and  suppressing  it.  He  urged  the  post- 
master-general to  dispatch  an  agent  from  Washington  at 
once  to  investigate  the  trouble,  and  promised  to  make  star- 
tling disclosures  on  his  arrival.  According  to  the  letter  of 
complaint,  the  terrible  little  woman  who  presided  over  the 
mail-bags  had  put  a  virtual  embargo  on  communications 
between  the  writer  and  the  outside  world.  The  court  was  in 
session,  and  the  person  aggrieved  was  one  of  the  lawyers  in 
attendance. 

On  reaching  the  venerable  rattle-trap  where  justice  or 
injustice  was  dispensed,  the  officer  asked  the  bailiff  to  re- 
quest Mr.  Periwinkle  to  step  to  the  door.  That  gentleman 
proved  to  be  a  white-headed  old  man  of  perhaps  sixty,  with  a 
protuberant  mouth,  a  prominent  but  thin  nose  of  the  Roman 
profile,  and  an  expression  of  countenance  that  blended  the 
characteristics  of  the  fox  and  the  ape. 

Said  the  stranger,  "Good  morning,  judge"  (in  Alabama 
every  lawyer  in  colloquial  intercourse  is  called  "judge," 
while  the  rest  of  mankind,  except  generals,  are  embraced 
under  the  generic  title  of  "colonel").  "I  have  the  letter 
addressed  by  you  to  the  postmaster-general,  and  have  come 
to  investigate  the  charges." 

The  "judge"  cleared  his  throat  several  times,  and  was 
evidently  much  embarrassed.  The  prompt  notice  taken  of 
his  complaint  appeared  to  surprise  him.  He  commenced  by 
enumerating  the  various  dignities  conferred  upon  him  in 
times  past  through  the  suffrages  of  his  fellow-citizens,  and 
the  positions  he  then  filled  under  the  patronage  of  the  Fed- 
eral power.  His  patriotism  knew  no  bounds.  Wherever 


512  THE    PATRIOTS    OF    '67. 

there  was  an  office  of  emolument  or  trust  to  be  disposed  of, 
he  stood  ready  like  a  veteran  soldier  to  rush  into  the  breach, 
regardless  alike  of  the  sneers  and  jeers  of  the  "enemies 
of  the  government."  He  believed  in  everybody  connected 
with  the  administration  and  Congress,  and  in  everything 
which  they  did.  At  the  same  time  he  was  ready  to  incur 
any  sacrifice  in  the  way  of  accepting  office. 

After  a  while  the  stranger  interrupted  the  stream  of  his 
volubility  with  the  remark,  "Well,  judge,  I  have  come  to 
inquire  into  your  grievances.  Please  give  an  explicit  state- 
ment of  the  facts." 

"  Have  you  been  to  the  post-office?  "  he  inquired. 

"  Not  yet,"  said  the  agent.  "  Before  calling  on  an  official 
against  whom  serious  charges  are  preferred  in  general  terms, 
I  deem  it  a  duty  to  myself  and  to  the  department  to  obtain 
exact  information  in  regard  to  the  nature  of  the  offense." 

Again  the  old  gentleman  cleared  his  throat,  and,  with  eyes 
cast  vacantly  on  the  floor,  devoted  a  brief  interval  to  silent 
meditation. 

Rousing  from  the  reverie,  he  continued,  "You  will  do  me 
a  great  favor,  placing  me  under  lasting  obligations,  if  you 
will  leave  town  without  letting  the  postmaster  know  you  have 
been  here,  or  informing  any  one  else  of  your  business.  It 
is  true  I  have  had  reasons  for  complaint,  but  she  is  on  the 
whole  quite  an  estimable  woman,  and  has  influential  friends. 
Besides,  a  disturbance  just  now  would  stir  up  bad  blood 
and  make  unpleasantness.  I  am  very  glad  you  came.  Tell 
the  postmaster-general,  and  the  secretary  of  the  treasury, 
and  the  attorney-general,  and  the  President,  that  if  there 
is  anything  in  the  world  I  can  do  for  the  government,  to 
call  on  me  freely,  and  they  shall  command  my  services. 
O,  how  I  love  the  glorious  Union  —  the  stars  and  the 
stripes  —  the  grandest  nation  the  sun  ever  shone  on  !  It  is 
the  duty  of  every  good  citizen  to  make  any  and  all  sac- 
rifices to  preserve  and  perpetuate  it.  But,"  shaking  a  long, 
bony  finger  in  the  face  of  the  astonished  listener,  and 


THE   AMERICAN   EAGLE^.  513 

dropping  his  -voice  to  a  confidential  whisper,  "the  people' 
here  cannot  be  trusted.  They  hate  the  government.  The 
snake  is  scotched,  not  killed.1  Unless  they  are  kept  in  the 
background,  we  shall  have  another  war  —  I  repeat  it,  an- 
other war.  Yet  many  of  them  would  do  anything,  or  swear 
to  any  kind  of  bath,  for  the  sake  of  getting  office.  Will  you' 
trust  them  and  imperil  all  that  has  been  won  by  the  outpour- 
ing of  millions  of  treasure ._and_ ,  oceans^  ojf  blood?  I  shall 
be  most  happy  to  advise  the  government  and  its  agents. 
Perhaps  in  the  course  of  business  in  Alabama  you  may 
require  legal  assistance.  If  so,  command  me.  Rest  assured;, 
I  can  be  depended  on." 

Everything  earthly  must  come  to  an  end,  and  so  did  th0 
oration  of  Benjamin  Franklin  Periwinkle.  One  seldom  enf 
counters  in  a  man  of  years  and  experience  so  transparent 
a  humbug.  Under  other  circumstances  his  rodomontade 
might  have  amused  one;  but,  with  a  great  deal  of  impor- 
tant work  demanding  immediate  attention,  the  special  agent 
had  traveled  four  hundred  miles  on  a  fool's  errand  as  it 
turned  out,  had  tossed  during  the  long  hours  of  the  previous 
night  on  a  bed  hard  as  the  primitive  rocks,  and  had  give|k 
blood  freely  to  the  occupants  who  held  the  territory  by  rignjt 
of  pre-emption,  so  that  he  .was  in  no  mood  to  be  entertained 
by  the  gush  even  of  so  eminent  a  patriot.  The  whistle,  sucty 
as  it  was,  cost  too  much.  Besides,  after  opening  from  a 
masked  battery  on  a  defenseless  woman,  the  coward  lacked 
the  nerve  to  meet  the  issue,  and,  when,  confronted  with  an 
opportunity  to  justify  his  assertions,  beat  an  ignominious 
retreat. 

Turning  from  the  old  wretch  with1  mingled  feelings  of 
indignation  and  disgust,  the  agent  proceeded  to  the  post- 
office.  The  postmaster,  middle-aged,  intelligent,  and  incisive, 
was  in  attendance.  Introducing  himself  as  an  agent  of  the 
department,  he  told  her  without  preamble  that  he  had  come1 
quite  a  distance  to  investigate  serious  charges  pertaining 
to  the  management  of  the  office.  Betraying  no  trepidation1 
33 


5*4 


THE    PATRIOTS    OF    '67. 


or  embarrassment,  she  modestly  inquired  what  the  charges 
were. 

He  replied,  "I  have  in  my  pocket  a  communication  from 
a  citizen  to  the  department,  wherein  he  accuses  you  of  open- 
ing letters  for  the  purpose  of  prying  into  his  affairs,  and  also 
of  suppressing  them  in  some  cases  altogether." 

The   hot  blood   mounted   to   her   cheeks.      Said  she,   "I 


"  With  no  small  degree  of  ill-suppressed  wrath,  she  continued,  'The  old  rep- 
robate lies  from  beginning  to  end.'  " 

understand  it  now :  there  is  but  one  man  in  this  community 
mean  enough  to  attack  an  unprotected  woman,  and  that  is 
old  Ben  Periwinkle." 

"  I  have  been  trying,"  said  the  officer,  ff  to  learn  from  him 
the  nature  of  the  trouble,  but  as  he  evades  giving  specific 
facts  to  sustain  the  charges,  I  have  come  to  you  for  enlight- 
enment." 


THE    MOTIVES    OF    PERIWINKLE.  515 

The  document  in  question  was  handed  her  for  perusal. 
With  no  small  degree  of  ill-suppressed  wrath,  she  continued, 
"The  old  reprobate  lies  from  beginning  to  end.  I  never 
opened  a  letter,  or  detained  one.  I  have  tried  to  do  my  duty 
faithfully.  The  people  here  will  tell  you  so.  I  come  early, 
and  stay  late,  striving  in  every  way  to  permit  the  existence 
of  no  cause  for  complaint." 

"  Why  is  it  Judge  Periwinkle  is  so  much  exercised?"  asked 
the  investigator. 

*  The  old  fool,"  she  replied,  "  is  constantly  writing  to  Chief 
Justice  Chase,  General  Grant,  and  other  prominent  men,  and 
because  they  do  not  answer  the  letters,  he  imagines  I  steal 
them.  If  they  take  no  notice  of  his  scribblings,  I  certainly 
cannot  write  replies  for  them.  If  I  call  spirits  from  the  vasty 
deep,  they  will  not  come.  Periwinkle  receives  promptly 
every  letter  that  reaches  this  office  addressed  to  him." 

The  officer  had  pursued  the  investigation  far  enough  to  see 
why  the  judge  did  not  care  to  come  in  conflict  with  the  post- 
master. Besides  having  no  case,  or  semblance  of  a  case,  he 
was  no  match  for  her  sharp  wit  and  ready  tongue.  The 
accuser  having  abandoned  his  charges,  and  the  rest  of  the 
community  being  satisfied  with  the  management  of  the  office, 
nothing  remained  for  the  agent  in  that  locality  save  to  while 
away  the  hours  till  the  return  train  arrived  at  two  o'clock  the 
next  morning. 

Inquiries  confirmed  the  correctness  of  the  judge's  enumeration 
in  reference  to  the  number  and  variety  of  responsible  positions 
he  had  managed  to  absorb.  Yet,  like  a  hungry  cur,  he  was 
whining  piteously  for  more.  His  thirst  for  office  was  insa- 
tiable, and,  judging  from  the  current  episode  in  his  career,  he 
scrupled  at  no  means  to  carry  his  ends.  Why  he,  invited  an 
investigation,  when  he  dared  not  confront  a  woman  with  his 
flimsy  accusations,  and  even  trembled  for  fear  she  should  learn 
that  an  agent  had  come  for  the  purpose,  is  a  mystery,  im- 
plying the  presence  of  motives  and  impulses  which  find  no  lodg- 
ment in  a  well-balanced  mind.  A  sane  person  cannot  account 


516  THE   PATRIOTS    OF   '67. 

rationally  for  the  vagaries  of  the  insane.  With  an  ill-defined 
notion  of  the  methods  by  which  departmental  business  is  con- 
ducted, he  may  have  conjectured  that  he  was  making  friends' 
and  capital  at  head-quarters  by  espionage  in  the  name  of  loy- 
alty on  the  acts  of  his  neighbors.  If  so,  in  this  instance  the 
venture  proved  a  poor  investment,  for  the  officer  took  partic- 
ular pains  to  ventilate  the  performances  of  "Judge  "  Benjamin 
Franklin  Periwinkle  where  the  information  would  "do  the 
most  good."  The  facts  needed  no  comment.  The  orbits  of 
the  agent  and  the  patriot  never  intersected  afterwards,  but 
from  that  day  the  fortunes  of  the  professional  office-hunter 
began  to  wane. 


A  few  months  later,  the  same  special  agent  was  sent  on  a 
similar  errand  to  a  town  of  about  the  same  size  in  the  northern 
part  of  Alabama.  It  was  his  first  visit  to  the  place,  and  his 
knowledge  of  the  controversy  to  be  inquired  into  was  derived 
entirely  from  the  papers  forwarded  from  the  department. 
These,  though  ex  parte,  were  calculated  at  first  sight  to  pro- 
duce a  very  unfavorable  impression  in  regard  to  the  postmas- 
ter. It  was  noticeable,  however,  even  from  the  documents, 
that  the  agitation  was  evidently  instigated  and  kept  up  by  a 
single  hand.  The  petition  praying  for  the  removal  of  the 
incumbent  bore  but  thirteen  signatures,  and  those  in  a  style 
of  chirography  which  indicated  that  the  writers  were  illiterate 
and  uninfluential.  The  master  spirit  of  the  movement  was 
one  Digem,  who,  like  the  hero  of  the  previous  sketch,  carried 
on  his  shoulders  the  weight  of  numerous  official  dignities, 
and  for  the  sake  of  the  country,  and  in  the  cause  of  sound 
government,  was  willing  to  have  the  burden  still  further  aug- 
mented- Unlike  the  timid,  subservient,  mild-mannered  Perif 
winkle,  Digem  was  bold,  impetuous,  and  aggressive.  A  thin, 
weird  old  man,  he  faltered  at  no  peril,  throwing  firebrands* 


AGENT  B.  R.  F.  AND  A.  L. 


517 


arrows,  and  death  into  the  camp  of  his  foes  with  the  zest  of  a 
school-boy  at  play. 

Among  the  papers  were  several  letters  written  by  him  to 
the  department.  He  alleged  that  the  postmaster  was  disloyal, 
disobliging,  and  in  every  way  unfit  for  the  office.  Nor  did 
he  confine  himself  to  vague  generalities,  but  boldly  asserted 
that  on  a  certain  Saturday  night  the  postmaster,  in  connection 
with  two  other  persons,  endeavored  to  excite  a  mob  for  the 
purpose  of  breaking  up 
a  meeting  of  the  Union 
League,  on  the  pretext 
that  the  negroes  were 
plotting  to  burn  the 
town.  A  Doctor  Cow- 
ley  was  given  as  au- 
thority for  the  asser- 
tion. He  further  stated 
it  to  be  the  "general 
belief"  that  "this  man  " 
was  at  the  head  of  a 
conspiracy  which  had 
attempted  to  assassi- 
nate him  several 
months  previously. 
This  rioter  and  cut- 
throat was  also  in  the 
habit  of  suppressing 
letters  and  public  doc- 
uments, even  going  aboard  the  trains  to  take  them  from  the 
hands  of  the  route  agents. 

But  the  big  gun  —  the  columbiad  of  the  assailants — -was 
an  affidavit  from  the  local  agent  of  the  freedmen's  bureau, 
who  in  fact  appended  to  his  official  signature  ithe  following 
cabalistic  letters  :  w  Ag't  B.  R.  F.  &  A.  L."  It  seemed  to  be 
assumed  that  a  name  capable  of  sustaining  such  an  array 
of  alphabetical  decorations  would  crush  through  all  imped- 


Digem. 


THE    PATRIOTS    OF    '67. 

iments  with  the  momentum  of  a  cannon-ball.  The  affidavit 
covered  two  pages  of  letter-sheet,  and  among  other  charges 
recited  that  the  deponent  had  personally  known  the  post- 
master for  fifteen  or  twenty  years ;  that  during  the  war  he 
had  been  a  hearty  sympathizer  with  the  rebellion,  giving  it 
all  the  aid  in  his  power ;  that  he  had  contributed  freely 
toward  the  organization  of  a  military  force  before  the  Con- 
federacy had  even  a  de  facto  government ;  that  he  was  still 
an  unrepentant  ^and  boisterous  rebel,  who  prostituted  his  offi- 
cial position  for  the  purpose  of  embarrassing  Unionists  and 
freedmen  ;  that  in  his  belief  he  had  not  discharged  his  duties 
in  accordance  with  the  regulations  of  the  department ;  and 
that  the  public  interests  demanded  his  removal.  The  doc- 
ument was  duly  subscribed  and  sworn  to. 

The  agent  called  first  on  Mr.  Twombly,  the  postmaster, 
and  found  him  a  gentleman  in  appearance  and  address.  He 
explained  the  object  of  the  visit,  handing  him  the  papers  for 
perusal.  After  looking  them  over  carefully,  Mr.  Twombly 
remarked,  "I  am  very  glad  you  have  come,  and  trust  you 
will  make  this  examination  thorough.  From  vague  threats 
circulating  through  the  community,  I  surmised  that  some  devil- 
ment was  going  on,  but  did  not  suppose  that  these  rascals, 
unscrupulous  as  they  are,  would  dare  put  their  names  to  such 
atrocious  falsehoods.  I  appreciate  the  kindness  of  the  de- 
partment in  not  acting  without  inquiry,  and  before  the  exam- 
ination is  closed  you  also  will  appreciate,  I  think,  the  wisdom 
of  the  precaution." 

"Are  the  men,"  inquired  the  officer,  "whose  names  appear 
on  this  petition  reputable  citizens?  " 

"I  want  you  to  see  and  converse  with  every  one  of  them," 
answered  Twombly.  "Digem  is  unfortunately  absent  from 
town,  but  the  rest  are  here,  and  can  probably  be  drummed  up 
without  trouble.  Most  of  them  will  be  found  loafing  around 
the  liquor  saloons.  As  I  am  mayor,  I  will  deputize  a  marshal 
to  go  with  you  in  the  search,  or  will  have  them  brought  into 
my  office,  or  will  render  whatever  aid  I  can  in  any  other 
course  you  may  prefer." 


RAGAMUFFINS  TO  THE  FRONT.  519 

A  runner  was  sent  out  to  invite  the  petitioners  to  meet  the 
investigator.  As  they  straggled  in,  one  after  another,  their 
appearance  was  strikingly  suggestive  of  Falstaff's  recruits ; 
yet  they  were  a  good-natured  set  of  ragamuffins,  answering 
questions  freely,  without  reserve  or  evasion.  All  agreed  that 
the  office,  under  the  management  of  Mr.  Twombly,  was  con- 
ducted well  and  impartially ;  that  they  had  heard  no  com- 
plaints against  the  postmaster,  and  knew  of  no  cause  for  his 
removal.  Several  explained  that  their  signatures  had  been 
procured  for  the  petition  by  false  representations.  They  were 
told  that  Mr.  Twombly  was  about  to  resign,  and  were  asked 
to  join  in  designating  a  successor.  With  the  crowd  came  also 
the  applicant  for  the  place,  supported  by  the  petitioners.  He 
appeared  to  be  a  good-natured,  easy-going  sot,  of  the  Rip 
Van  Winkle  school  —  one  of  the  last  men  that  an  intelligent 
community  would  select  to  fill  any  position  of  responsibility. 
With  perfect  candor,  he  admitted  that  he  could  give  no  reason 
whatever  why  he  should  be  substituted  for  the  actual  in- 
cumbent. 

Considerable  difficulty  was  experienced  in  finding  the 
bureau  agent  who  had  sworn  to  the  cumulative  charges 
against  Mr.  Twombly.  If  his  affidavit  was  true,  the  post- 
master was  a  perjurer  liable  to  all  the  pains  and  penalties  of 
the  crime ;  for  at  that  time  Federal  officials  were  required  to 
take  the  famous  test  oath,  wrhich  had  been  worded  with  stu- 
dious care  for  the  purpose  of  excluding  from  the  public  service 
all  who  had  directly  or  remotely  participated  in  the  war 
against  the  Union.  The  disabling  clause  ran  thus  :  — 

"  And  I  do  further  solemnly  swear  that  I  have  never  voluntarily  borne  arms 
against  the  United  States  since  I  have  been  a  citizen  thereof ;  that  I  have 
voluntarily  given  no  aid,  countenance,  counsel,  or  encouragement  to  persons 
engaged  in  armed  hostility  thereto  ;  that  I  have  neither  sought,  nor  accepted, 
nor  attempted  to  exercise  the  functions  of  any  office  whatever,  under  any 
authority,  or  pretended  authority,  in  hostility  to  the  United  States  ;  that  I 
have  not  yielded  a  voluntary  support  to  any  pretended  government,  author- 
ity, power,  or  constitution  within  the  United  States,  hostile  or  inimical 
thereto." 


52°  THE    PATRIOTS   QF   '67. 

It  was  apparent  that  one  of  these  two  men  had  committed 
deliberate  perjury.  After  a  Jong  search,  the  town  marshal 
discovered  Darnell,  the  bureau  agent,  and  brought  him  in. 
The  fellow  came  reluctantly,  and  was  far  from  happy  at  the 
prospect  of  being  "interviewed."  As  he  took  a  seat  in  the; 
little  coterie  of  interested  parties  drawn  together  in  the  prog- 
ress of  the  inquiry,  he  was  pale  and  tremulous,  terrified  like 
Saul  by  the  specter  whose  visitation  he  had  helped  to  invoke. 
When  the  fatal  affidavit  was  penned  under  the  inspiration  ( of 
Digem  and  whiskey,  he  did  not  imagine  it  would  ever  return 
to  trouble  his  peace;  but,  like  many  others,  he  learned  too 
late  that  falsehood,  like  a  double-edged  sword,  cuts  both  ways. 
After  reading  the  'paper  aloud,  slowly  and  deliberately,  so 
that  each  specification  might  be  brought  out  with  distinctness, 
the  agent  asked  if  the  charges  were  true. 

"They  are  false,"  he  replied,  "from  beginning  to  end," 

"From  personal  knowledge,  Mr.  Darnell,  or  from  informa- 
tion that  has  come  to  ;you  through  others,  do  you  think  Mr. 
Twombly  was  disqualified  from  taking  the  '  test  oath'  ?  " 

"  No,  sir.  I  have  always  understood  that  he  was  a  good 
Unionist,  and  that  during  .the,  war  he  acted  consistently  on 
that  line." 

"  Has  there  been  anything  illegal,  improper,  or  unfair  in  the 
management  of  the  office  since  he  took  control  of  it ;  and  if 
so,  what?" 

"  I  'have  always  regarded  Mr.  Twombly  as  an  excellent 
postmaster,"  he  answered.  "There  may  have  been  trivial 
complaints,  but,  so  far,  _as  I  know^  these  have  arisen  wholly 
from  personal  spite  and  disappointment,  and  have  no  real 
foundation.  Efforts  may  have  been  made  to  prejudice  against 
him  the  minds  of  the  freedmen,  who  are  ignorant  and  easily 
influenced ;  but  if  such  a  movement  has  been  made,  I  have 
had  no  share  in  it." 

"You  repeat,  Mr.  Darnell,  that  the  affidavit  which  I  have 
read  here  is  false  ?  " 

"Yes, "said  he;  "to  tne  best  of  my  knowledge  and  belief, 


THE    PERJURER, 


521 


&11  the  charges  are  false.     Mr.  Twombly  is  an  entirely  differ- 
ent kind  of  a  man." 

"Did  you  have  anything  to  do,  Mr.  Darnell,  with  the  get- 
ting up  of  that  affidavit?  " 

"  Nothing,"  he  replied.  "  I  never  saw  or  heard  of  it 
before." 

j    Giving  him  the  paper,   w  Is  that  your  handwriting  ? "  the 
investigator  continued. 

Darnell  now  pre- 
sented a  most  pitiable 
aspect,  his  counte- 
nance whitening  to  a 
ghastly  pallor  as  he 
stammered  forth, — 

"  It  looks  like  it ;  but 
if  it  is,  I  was  so  drunk 
when  I  wrote  it  that  I  /%, 
have  no  recollection  of  M 
it  whatever.      It   must  ' 
be  my  writing,  and  this 
is    the    only    way    in 
which    it    can   be    ac- 
counted for,  as  I  am  a 
truthful    man,    and   in 
my   right   mind   could 
never  have  subscribed 
to  such  falsehoods."  ; 

Trembling  with  agitation,  he  turned  to  the  accused  and  to 
others  in  the  room,  pathetically  appealing  to  them  to  bear  tes- 
timony to  his  general  good  character,  and  appearing  very 
grateful  when  they  coincided  in  the  statement  that  he  was 
often  so  drunk  as  to  be  unconscious  probably  of  what  he  was 
doing.  The  abjectness  of  the  poor  wretch  converted  indigna- 
tion to  pity,  robbing  even  righteous  resentment  of  its  sting. 
If  his  sworn  testimony  was  palpably  falser  his  paltry  attempt 
at  explanation  was  equally  so ;  .for  the  affidavit  was  penned  in. 


Mr.  Darnell. 


522  THE    PATRIOTS    OF    '67. 

a  clear,  firm  hand,  and  throughout  bore  marks  of  careful 
preparation.  The  body  as  well  as  the  signature  were  in  the 
writing  of  Darnell.  Without  doubt  this  was  one  of  the  most 
sober  acts  he  had  performed  for  a  number  of  years.  Having 
passed  the  crisis,  he  inquired,  "Are  you  through  with  me?" 
and,  being  answered  in  the  affirmative,  picked  up  his  hat, 
and,  pale  and  dejected,  slunk  out  of  sight  like  a  convicted 
felon.  As  an  agent  of  the  freedmen's  bureau,  this  man  had 
been  intrusted  with  the  distribution  of  large  quantities  of  sup- 
plies, and  with  other  responsibilities  of  a  delicate  nature, 
calling  for  the  exercise  of  sobriety,  tact,  intelligence,  and 
scrupulous  honesty.  According  to  the  concurrent  testimony 
of  the  citizens,  whom  the  pending  investigation  drew  together 
either  casually  or  as  witnesses,  he  had  failed  lamentably  in 
every  particular,  numerous  instances  of  peculation  and  oppres- 
sion being  mentioned.  In  due  time  the  facts  were  brought  to 
the  attention  of  Major-General  Pope,  then  commanding  the 
military  district,  who  immediately  dismissed  him  from  service 
on  the  ground  that  a  person  capable  of  concocting  slanderous 
affidavits  in  a  state  of  oblivious  intoxication,  could  labor  with 
more  profit  to  the  country  in  quite  a  different  sphere. 

To  avoid  the  possibility  of  imposition,  the  agent  consulted 
union  citizens,  Federal  officers,  and  public  documents  in  ref- 
erence to  the  antecedents  of  the  postmaster,  learning  that 
by  common  consent  he  was  selected  for  the  position  as  the 
most  suitable  person  who  could  unqualifiedly  take  the  oath.  He 
appeared  to  be  held  in  high  estimation  by  all  classes,  the 
crusade  against  him  having  been  instigated  exclusively  by 
Digem. 

Of  this  fiery  old  gentleman,  war  waged  by  harangues 
within  the  safe  limits  of  bloodshed,  was  the  natural  element. 
He  gloried  in  military  rule,  and  was  a  firm  believer  in  the 
maxim,  Inter  arma  leges  silent.  Having  procured  a  large 
number  of  envelopes  ornamented  with  the  franks  of  a  senator 
from  New  England  and  a  congressman  from  Ohio,  he  at- 
tempted, in  violation  of  law,  to  use  them  to  cover  an 


MALICE    THWARTED.  523 

extensive  personal  and  political  correspondence.  With  a 
similar  disregard  for  the  Statutes  at  Large,  he  also  undertook 
to  address  and  mail  franked  documents  from  various  post- 
offices  in  Alabama,  including  that  at  his  residence.  Mr. 
Twombly,  having  more  regard  for  the  law  than  for  the  good- 
will of  this  economical  disseminator  of  intelligence,  politely 
directed  his  attention  to  the  code,  and,  as  required  by  the 
regulations  of  the  department,  forwarded  the  matter  ille- 
gally franked  to  the  dead-letter  office.  Frustrated  in  his 
efforts  to  defraud  the  revenues  through  the  medium  of  the 
post-office,  he  tried  to  accomplish  the  same  end  by  handing 
the  packages  to  the  route  agents  aboard  the  trains,  who, 
under  instructions  from  the  postmaster,  refused  to  receive 
them.  Not  to  be  outdone,  he  determined  at  all  hazards  to 
secure  the  removal  of  the  officer  whose  vigilance  thwarted 
his  schemes. 

A  single  point  for  investigation  remained.  Digem  repre- 
sented that  on  a  specified  Saturday  night,  Mr.  Twombly 
joined  with  others  in  inciting  a  mob  to  break  up  a  meeting 
of  the  Union  League,  citing  for  authority  Doctor  Cowley. 
The  doctor  not  only  denied  having  made  such  a  statement, 
but  declared  that  he  had  never  heard  of  the  matter  before, 
the  item  being  new  to  him.  The  president  of  the  league,  a 
reputable  colored  man,  testified  that,  as  mayor,  Mr.  Twombly, 
though  opposed  on  principle  to  secret  organizations,  had  al- 
ways treated  them  well  and  kindly. 

Thus  the  entire  array  of  charges  concocted  to  crush  the 
postmaster  crumbled  to  dust.  Mr.  Twombly  continued  to 
fill  the  position  to  the  satisfaction  of  the  community,  and 
Digem  continued  to  gnaw  a  file  with  growing  venom  till, 
not  long  after,  he  tottered  to  the  grave,  breathing  forth 
slaughter  to  the  bitter  end. 


Incidents  like   the   foregoing,  where  the  naked  facts  look 
like  extravagant  caricatures,  might  be  multiplied  almost  in- 


524  THE    PATRIOTS    OF    '67. 

definitely.  In  long  established  and  well  regulated  commu- 
nities, affairs  moving  forward  with  even  pace  are  seldom 
thrown  out  of  gear  by  abnormal  forces.  To  a  considerable 
degree  society  becomes  organically  moral,  treating  the  crimi- 
nal classes  as  no  integral  part  of  itself,  but  as  dangerous 
excrescences  to  be  repressed  or  extirpated.  Raiders  upon 
the  public  meet  with  no  kind  of  sympathy  or  toleration,  but 
are  hunted  down  like  wild  beasts  and  punished  without  pity. 
Thieves  and  cut- throats  are  compelled  to  hide  in  obscure 
corners,  and  to  carry  on  their  nefarious  work  under  cover 
of  darkness  and  secrecy.  Revolutions,  however,  bring  them 
to, the  surface  in  swarms,  and  for  a  while  at  least  they  fatten 
on  the  general  ruin. 

(  ;At  the  period  referred  to,  the  South  was  passing  through 
&  great  transition,  painfully  conscious  of  present  hardships, 
and  upborne  by  no  prophetic  vision  of  relief  and  prosperity 
in  the  future.  So  rapid  was  the  whirl  of  events  and  so  com- 
plete the  exclusion  from  positions  of  authority  of  the  men  who 
had  long  monopolized  the  functions  of  government,  that  tem- 
porary paralysis  fell  upon  the  people,  and  the  fiery  spirits  that, 
during  four  years  of  bloody 'conflict,  had  shrunk  from  no  risks 
^nd  paled  at  no  dangers,  -sunk  down  helplessly  and  hope- 
lessly beneath  the  oppression  of  misgovernment.  The  endur- 
ajice  strained  to  its  utmost  tension  by  the  waning  fortunes  of 
war,  when  overcome,  gave  way  entirely. 

According  to  the  medieval  philosophers,  "Nature  abhors  a 
vacuum."  Wherever  opportunities  arise  for  taking  short  cuts 
to  preferment  and  wealth,  adventurers  stream  in  to  fill  the 
rjlaces  like  air  into  an  exhausted  receiver.  Rascals  with  a 
penchant  for  politics,  banking  on  the  profound  gratitude  of 
the  '  country  toward  the  soldiers  whose  heroism  had  saved 
it  from  dismemberment,  and  which  was  still  extended,  though 
in  a  less  degree,  to  the  men  who  remained  at  the  South  to  fur- 
ther the  work  of  restoration,  "stealing  the  livery  of  heaven  to 
se'rve  the  devil  in/'  used  the  most  sacred  sympathies  of  the 
nation  as  a  screen  to  protect  their  villanies.  Plotting  under 


AFTER    THE    WAR.    ;<  525 

cover  of  intense  loyalty  to  the  government,  and  able  in  many 
cases  to  overthrow  opposition  by  the  persistent  use  of  hard 
names,  they  succeeded  in  many  localities  in  gaining  >a  brief, 
ascendency,  which,  while  winning  for  them  no  permanent 
benefit,  brought  great  scandal  upon  the  noble  cause  they 
graced.  Active  members  of  vigilance  committees  whose 
ness  it  was  in  the  sad  winter  preceding  the  war  to  drive  the. 
friends  of  the  Union  in  terror  from  their  homes,  having  expe- 
rienced a  change  of  heart  with  the  downfall  of  the  confeder- 
acy, now  plundered  the  people  while  shouting  the  praises  of 
the  republic.  As  impudence  is  much  more  aggressive  than 
worth,  they  pushed  aside  wherever  it  was  possible  both  Fed-? 
eral  soldiers  and  long-tried  Southern  Unionists,  as  not  sum% 
ciently  sound  for  the  exigencies  of  the  hour.  Falsehood^ 
slander,  and  fraud,  thinly  veneered  with  professions  of  ex- 
travagant and  exclusive  loyalty,  for  a  while  were  the  winning 
cards  in  the  desperate  play  for  power  and  pelf. 

If  unsavory  stories  regarding  former  misdeeds  perchance 
followed  the  embryo  statesman  to  his  newly  selected  home, 
he  could  point  to  a  ready,  and  generally  a  satisfactory  expla- 
nation, in  the  supposed  malice  of  the  "rebels."  Such  was 
the  convenient  scapegoat  that  was  made  to  bear  away  into 
the  wilderness  the  evidence  of  a  multitude  of  sins.  It  was 
not  difficult  to  hide  the  facts  of  a  troublesome  record,  or  to 
conceal  schemes  of  future  villany  under  cover  of  the  preva- 
lent disorder. 

Happily  the  evil,  like  all  evils  of  mushroom  growth,  passed 
into  rapid  decay.  The  penitentiary  absorbed  a  fair  share  of  the 
miscreants.  Some  sought  safety  in  voluntary  exile.  Many, 
having  squandered  their  ill-gotten  gains,  are  now  wandering 
as  vagabonds  on  the  face  of  the  earth.  "  The  strong  hours 
conquer."  Time  is  the  great  avenger. 

It  would  be  false  and  cruelly  unjust  to  intimate  that  the 
migratory  movement  southward  after  the  war  was  made  up  to 
any  great  extent  of  bad  material,  or  that  it  was  inspired  by 
improper  motives.  Large  numbers  of  northern  men  went 


526  THE    PATRIOTS    OF    '67. 

thither  to  follow  legitimate  pursuits  by  honorable  methods. 
Many  became  identified  with  the  somewhat  complex  scheme 
of  reconstruction,  filling  both  State  and  Federal  offices  with 
honor  to  themselves  and  advantage  to  the  public.  Justly 
claiming  that  the  whole  country  belongs  equally  to  all  its 
citizens,  they  had  no  apologies  to  offer  for  standing  up  as 
the  champions  of  political  doctrines  that  grated  harshly  upon 
unfamiliar  ears.  In  the  presence  of  temptations  on  one 
side,  and  of  opprobium  on  the  other,  they  have  continued  to 
follow  the  line  of  duty  honestly  and  courageously,  till  in 
many  cases  they  have  overcome  the  most  inveterate  preju- 
dices, and  have  conquered  places  in  the  respect  and  esteem 
of  those  who  were  once  ready  to  fight  their  opinions  with 
fire. 


T    WAS     a    bitterly 
cold  day.     The  cut- 
ting wind  blew  bois- 
terously, and  whis- 
tled through    every 
crevice    of     the    Old 
Dutch  Church  on  Nas- 
sau Street,   which,  in 
the   changes   of  time, 
had     been     transformed 
into   a    post-office.      Al- 
though in  the  height  of 
the  busy  season,  the  pave- 
ments    were     compara- 
tively  deserted.     A    few 
pedestrians,  protected  by 
overcoats,    shawls,     and 

•'  As  the  stranger  entered,  he  found  the  pro-  other   wrappings,  hurried 
prietor engaged  at hia trade."  ,  ...  -         , 

along  as  if  fate  depended 

on  speed.  Clouds  of  fine,  frozen  dust  swept  by  to  the  ad- 
ditional discomfort  of  travelers.  Overhead,  the  sky  looked 
gray  and  gloomy,  as  if  the  weight  of  snow  buried  in  its  bosom 
oppressed  it  like  some  dark  secret.  It  was  one  of  those  days 
when  the  more  fortunate  classes  of  society  appreciate  to  the 
full  the  cosy  comforts  of  home,  and  when,  too,  the  houseless 
and  hungry  shiver  anew  at  each  fresh  blast,  and  look  for- 


528  OUT    OF   THE    DEEPS. 

ward  with  one  solitary  hope  to  the  barren  warmth  of  the 
grave. 

Before  a  bright  coal-grate  in  one  of  the  rooms  of  the  Nassau 
Street  post-office  a  gentleman  was  examining  a  huge  package 
of  papers,  and  at  intervals  giving  sundry  directions  to  a  clerk. 
Having  just  returned  from  a  successful  trip  in  the  service  of 
the  government,  he  was  reading  the  correspondence  which  had 
accumulated  during  his  absence,  and  deciding  upon  the  first 
step  to  be  taken  in  each  of  the  multitudinous  cases  submitted 
for  his  action. 

"  Ah  ! "  thought  he,  as  a  blast  of  more  than  ordinary  fierce- 
ness howled  at  the  window,  "  how  lucky  I  was  to  reach  home 
a  day  ahead  of  the  polar  wave." 

Just  then  a  quick  rap  was  heard  at  the  door. 

"Come  in,"  answered  the  inmate. 

A  messenger  from  the  telegraph  office  entered,  and  delivered 
a  dispatch.  It  read  thus  :  — 

"To  B.  K.  SHARRETTS,   Special  Agent  Post-Office  Depart- 
ment, New  York  City. 
"Come  to  Frostburgh  at  once.     Urgent  case. 

"  W.  A.  ARROW,   U.  S.  Dist.  Att'y." 

The  situation  was  trying ;  but  Mr.  Sharretts  is  an  officer 
who  never  at  the  call  of  duty  pauses  to  consider  matters  of 
personal  convenience  or  comfort.  His  resolution  was  instantly 
taken.  The  United  States  attorney  would  not  summon  him 
so  pressingly  unless  in  his  judgment  the  emergency,  whatever 
it  might  be,  demanded  his  immediate  presence.  Accordingly, 
other  business  was  dropped  to  make  hasty  preparations  for 
the  journey.  In  three  hours  from  the  receipt  of  the  telegram, 
the  special  agent  was  hurrying  northward  by  the  fast  express. 
Meanwhile, 

"Announced  by  all  the  trumpets  of  the  sky. 
Arrives  the  snow;  and  driving  o'er  the  fields 
Seems  nowhere  to  alight;  the  whited  air 
Hides  hills  and  woods,  the  river  and  the  heaven." 


STOPPED    BY   A    SNOW-DRIFT.  529 

The  train  flew  past  villages  and  cities.  After  watching 
awhile  the  frantic  gambols  of  the  snowflakes,  the  officer 
yielded  to  a  feeling  of  drowsiness,  and  fell  asleep.  After  a  nap 
of  uncertain  length,  suddenly  the  engine  gave  a  shrill  whistle, 
and  with  a  jar  that  awakened  the  somnolent  passengers  the 
train  came  to  a  stop.  Night  had  fallen,  and  the  concussion 
extinguishing  the  lamps,  a  scene  of  confusion  followed.  The 
more  timorous  thought  of  collisions,  and  stretched  their  sleepy 
limbs  to  see  if  the  bones  were  still  unbroken.  It  was  soon 
learned  that  the  locomotive  had  plunged  headlong  into  a  heavy 
drift,  where  it  was  likely  to  remain  during  the  rest  of  the  night. 
Whatever  hopes  of  extrication  may  at  first  have  animated  the 
more  sanguine  were  soon  dissipated  by  the  rapidly  falling 
flakes,  which  quickly  filled  the  passage  behind  as  well  as  be- 
fore, completing  the  barricade. 

It  was  six  miles  to  the  nearest  station.  Although  supperless 
and  hungry,  no  passenger  would  have  the  hardihood  to  at- 
tempt the  journey  on  such  a  night,  over  a  road  buried  beneath 
the  drifts,  and  in  the  teeth  of  a  driving  storm.  The  only 
alternative  was  to  accept  the  situation  with  the  best  grace 
possible. 

To  crown  the  sufferings  of  the  unfortunate  travelers,  the 
fires  from  lack  of  fuel  gradually  sunk  lower  and  lower,  till 
little  more  than  the  ashes  remained.  Probably  some  remem- 
ber that  night  as  the  most  uncomfortable  they  ever  passed. 

In  the  gray  of  the  morning,  engines  crept  up  from  both 
directions  to  the  relief  of  the  imprisoned  train.  After  an  hour 
or  two  of  vigorous  shoveling,  the  passage  was  cleared,  and 
once  more  they  were  free.  Without  further  interruption  the 
traveler  reached  Frostburgh,  and,  after  riding  a  mile  in  an 
open  sleigh,  with  the  thermometer  ten  degrees  below  zero, 
found  a  temporary  haven  at  the  village  hotel,  where  a  thorough 
ablution  and  a  hot  breakfast  restored  his  customary  serenity. 

Thus  refreshed,  he  proceeded  to  the  office  of  the  United 
States  district  attorney,  to  learn  the  nature  of  the  trouble  that 
prompted  the  message.  Mr.  Arrow  was  in.  After  the  inter- 

34 


53O  OUT    OF   THE    DEEPS. 

change  of  the  ordinary  courtesies,  they  came  directly  to  the 
business  in  hand.  With  the  single  exception  of  the  substitu- 
tion of  fictitious  for  real  names,  the  facts  throughout  are  given 
as  they  occurred. 

It  appeared  that  William  Garmo  had  for  many  years  held 
the  position  of  postmaster  at  Forsyth,  a  small  village  twenty- 
one  miles  from  Frostburgh.  During  the  period,  notwith- 
standing an  occasional  growl  from  some  dissatisfied  patron  of 
the  office,  nothing  to  the  discredit  of  the  incumbent  had  hitherto 
assumed  tangible  form.  A  short  time  before,  however,  a 
mysterious  loss  had  occurred  under  circumstances  which  led 
the  public  generally  to  believe  that  William  Garmo  was  the 
thief.  A  letter  containing  eleven  twenty-dollar  bills,  issued 
by  the  Faneuil  Hall  Bank  of  Boston,  and  addressed  to  Mr. 
Aminadab  Luffer  at  Forsyth.  was  proven  by  incontestable  evi- 
dence to  have  reached  that  office,  but  there  all  trace  of  it  was 
lost.  When  the  party  addressed  called  for  his  mail,  this  letter 
was  not  given  to  him,  though  he  had  been  anxiously  expecting 
the  remittance  for  a  number  of  days,  and  had  more  than  once 
mentioned  the  fact  to  the  postmaster. 

Not  hearing  from  his  correspondent,  Mr.  Luffer  wrote  a 
letter  of  inquiry,  and  was  informed  in  reply,  that  on  a  certain 
date,  the  two  hundred  and  twenty  dollars  as  described  had  been 
mailed  to  him.  During  the  interval  the  tax-collector  received 
from  Mr.  Garmo  two  twenty-dollar  bills  of  the  Faneuil  Hall 
Bank.  By  diligent  inquiries  Mr.  Luffer  learned  from  two  or 
three  credible  parties,  that  about  the  time  the  expected  remit- 
tance should  have  arrived,  a  letter  inclosed  in  a  long  envelope 
of  the  official  size,  somewhat  mutilated  at  the  end,  and  bearing 
his  address,  was  seen  inside  the  office.  As  he  had  received  no 
communication  corresponding  to  the  description,  he  inferred 
that  this  must  be  the  valuable  packet,  and  the  conclusion 
was  corroborated  by  the  subsequent  statement  of  the  remitter. 
Although  it  could  not  be  shown  that  the  numbers  of  the  notes 
paid  out  by  Mr.  Garmo  were  identical  with  the  numbers  in- 
closed to  Mr.  Luffer,  yet  twenty-dollar  bills  of  the  Faneuil  Hall 


MR.    LUFFER  WANTS    HIS   MONEY.  531 

Bank  were  such  a  rarity  in  the  neighborhood,  that  the  public 
generally  required  no  additional  evidence  to  convince  them 
that,  overpowered  by  the  temptation,  the  postmaster  had  ap- 
propriated to  his  own  use  the  contents  of  the  letter.  Aminadab 
openly  accused  Garmo  of  stealing  his  money,  and  demanded 
its  return.  When  that  official,  denying  all  knowledge  of  the 
loss,  declined  to  make  it  good,  the  sufferer  simultaneously 
began  a  civil  suit  in  the  state  courts  for  the  recovery  of  the 
amount,  and  started  a  petition  for  the  removal  of  the  post- 
master. The  evidence,  though  circumstantial,  seemed  so 
strong  to  the  United  States  attorney,  that  he  felt  it  to  be  a  duty 
to  take  prompt  action,  and  accordingly  sent  for  the  special 
agent  by  telegraph. 

After  giving  an  outline  of  the  case,  Mr.  Arrow  added,  by  way 
of  qualification,  that  he  was  personally  acquainted  with  Mr. 
Garmo,  whose  reputation  up  to  the  time  of  this  unhappy  event 
had,  so  far  as  he  knew,  been  unblemished.  The  charge  had 
filled  him  with  surprise,  but  it  seemed  to  be  too  well  supported 
by  the  facts  to  be  allowed  to  pass  unnoticed  by  the  govern- 
ment. The  demands  of  justice  are  impartial  and  inexorable. 
If  William  Garmo  had  sinned,  William  Garmo  must  suffer  the 
penalty. 

Provided  with  a  warrant  for  the  arrest  of  the  accused,  to  be 
used  if  the  evidence  on  close  sifting  was  found  to  sustain  the 
charge  beyond  reasonable  doubt,  the  special  agent  prepared, 
without  a  moment  of  needless  delay,  for  the  long,  cold,  and 
dreary  ride.  The  polar  wave,  sweeping  across  the  continent 
from  the  Rocky  Mountains,  was  just  about  at  the  point  of  cul- 
mination. Having  procured  a  sleigh  with  a  sturdy  span  of 
horses,  and  the  companionship  of  the  assistant  postmaster  at 
Frostburgh,  who  was  also  to  act  as  pilot,  they  were  soon 
driving  at  a  rapid  pace  along  the  banks  of  the  St.  Lawrence, 
so  well  protected  by  wraps  and  robes  that  the  hyperborean 
blasts  were  scarcely  felt. 

For  some  distance  the  road  was  in  fine  condition,  and  being 
the  favorite  drive  of  the  town,  was  thronged  with  gay  pleasure- 


532  OUT    OF    THE    DEEPS. 

seekers.  The  silvery  tinkling  of  bells  near  and  far,  the  sharp 
crackle  of  the  snow  beneath  the  runners  of  the  vehicles,  and, 
above  all,  the  stimulus  of  the  clear,  pure  air,  so  exhilarated 
the  officer,  that,  while  the  panorama  lasted,  he  entirely  forgot 
the  fatigues  of  the  past  twenty-four  hours,  as  well  as  the  pain- 
ful business  before  him. 

The  first  five  miles  of  the  journey  were  quickly  accomplished, 
and  there  they  diverged  from  the  beaten  highway  into  an  un- 
frequented by-road.  The  plain  behind  was  as  smooth  and  level 
as  a  billiard-table,  but  in  front  a  succession  of  spurs  intersected 
the  track.  Over  the  greater  part  of  the  route  the  surface  of 
the  deep  snow  was  unbroken  save  by  the  passage  of  log  sleds, 
which  left  two  deep,  parallel  cuts  in  the  crust,  and  a  hollow 
trail  in  the  centre,  made  by  the  huge  tree-trunks  as  these  were 
dragged  from  the  forest  to  the  saw-mills.  As  a  consequence, 
the  progress  of  the  travelers  was  beset  with  difficulty  and  even 
a  slight  smack  of  danger.  Upsets  were  not  unfrequent ;  and 
as  the  gentleman  from  Frostburgh  was  w  twice  as  thin  "  as  the 
special  agent,  according  to  the  phraseology  of  the  Milesian, 
the  sleigh  uniformly  careened  to  the  same  side,  landing  the 
heavy  weight  at  the  bottom,  with  the  assistant  postmaster  and 
the  other  contents  of  the  vehicle  on  top.  The  horses,  though 
free  and  spirited,  had  evidently  been  trained  to  expect  acci- 
dents of  this  character,  for  with  each  overturn  they  instantly 
stopped,  and  stood  patiently  till  the  status  quo  was  restored. 

When  the  travelers  reached  Forsyth,  the  day  was  far  ad- 
vanced, and  they  were  nearly  frozen.  By  the  external  applica- 
tion of  ice-water  to  his  benumbed  extremities,  and  the  inward  ap- 
plication of  hot  drinks,  whether  of  coffee  or  something  weaker 
the  record  makes  no  mention,  the  agent  of  the  post-office  de- 
partment was  soon  thawed  out  and  ready  again  for  work. 

In  the  present  investigation  it  was  unnecessary  for  the  agent 
to  conceal  his  official  character,  or  to  consume  time  in  efforts 
to  entrap  the  supposed  thief  while  actually  engaged  in  the  per- 
petration of  a  fresh  robbery.  One  question  alone  demanded 
answer :  Did  the  postmaster  steal  the  letter  containing  the 


INTERVIEWING  THE  LANDLORD.  533 

two  hundred  and  twenty  dollars  mailed  to  Aminadab  Luffer? 
If  so,  it  might  be  his  first  offense,  committed  in  a  moment  of 
weakness,  and  bitterly  lamented  afterwards  ;  but  the  law  knows 
no  distinction  between  the  initial  crime  and  the  fiftieth. 

As  a  preliminary  step,  he  desired  to  learn  how  Mr.  Garmo 
stood  in  the  community,  and  what  opinion  the  neighbors  en- 
tertained in  regard  to  the  particular  transaction  which  had 
caused  unparalleled  excitement  in  the  locality,  and  formed  the 
uppermost  topic  of  conversation.  The  village  hotel-keeper 
had  been  commended  to  him  as  a  person  of  shrewdness,  judg- 
ment, and  candor,  who  would  be  likel}'  to  absorb  all  the  cur- 
rent gossip,  and  reflect  with  tolerable  accuracy  the  general 
sentiment  of  the  public.  A  brief  conversation  with  that  digni- 
tary, on  matters  of  common  interest,  satisfied  the  detective  that 
he  could  not  go  to  a  better  source  in  quest  of  the  desired  in- 
formation. He  accordingly  explained  the  object  of  his  mission, 
and  asked  for  a  confidential  but  unreserved  statement  in 
reference  to  the  antecedents  of  the  postmaster,  and  the  facts 
of  the  supposed  robbery. 

The  proprietor,  remarking  in  a  self-congratulatory  manner, 
by  way  of  preface,  WI  thought  I  knew  what  brought  you 
here,"  proceeded,  in  answer  to  various  questions,  to  describe 
the  character  and  surroundings  of  Mr.  Garmo.  He  said  that 
till  the  recent  unhappy  occurrence  his  reputation  had  always 
been  excellent,  not  a  serious  word  having  ever  been  whispered 
against  his  fair  fame.  In  point  of  worldly  gear,  his  circum- 
stances were  good.  His  wife  was  a  Christian  woman  of  high 
character  and  accomplishments,  beautiful,  intelligent,  amiable, 
whom  all  respected  and  loved.  Two  sons,  aged  respectively 
fifteen  and  twelve,  were  the  brightest  as  well  as  the  best- 
trained  boys  in  the  village.  In  brief,  the  family  in  every 
respect  was  a  model  for  imitation. 

Besides  discharging  the  duties  of  postmaster,  Mr.  Garmo 
carried  on  the  business  of  harness-maker;  and  the  revenue 
from  both  sources  was  supposed  to  yield  a  handsome  income. 
So  far  as  known,  he  never  ventured  even  upon  the  edge  of 


534 


OUT    OF   THE    DEEPS, 


the  dangerous  sea  of  speculation,  thus  exposing  himself  to  an 
under-current  of  temptation  which  too  often  lures  to  ruin  the 
well-intentioned  but  weak.  In  the  pecuniary  circumstances  of 
the  man  no  motive  could  be  found  for  the  commission  of  the 
theft.  K  Yet,"  continued  the  innkeeper,  w  this  is  a  dead  sure 
thing  on  him ;  and,  although  I  am  truly  sorry,  I  s'pose  he'll 
have  to  be  put  through." 


"  'Yet,' continued  the  innkeeper,  *  this  is  a  dead  sure  thing  on  him;  and,  although 
I  am  truly  sorry,  I  s'pose  he'll  have  to  be  put  through.' »» 

Further  inquiry  elicited  the  information  that  upon  the  day 
of  the  supposed  robbery  a  soldier  was  buried  at  Forsyth  and 
an  ox  slaughtered  —  two  unusual  occurrences,  which  served 
both  to  identify  the  date  and  to  collect  in  the  village  a  con- 
course of  people  from  the  surrounding  country.  It  was  sup- 
posed that  Garmo  took  advantage  of  the  confusion  and  excite- 
ment to  cover  the  commission  of  the  crime. 


THE    POSTMASTER   AT    HOME.  535 

At  this  stage  of  the  inquiry  the  prospect  looked  dark  for 
Mr.  Garmo.  Now  thoroughly  posted  in  all  the  facts  known 
to  the  public,  the  detective  proceeded  to  the  post-office  to  inter- 
view the  party  whose  reputation,  whether  deservedly  or  not, 
seemed  to  be  forever  blasted.  The  office  was  kept  in  a  small 
room  partitioned  off  from  the  work-shop.  A  glance  discov- 
ered that  it  was  neat  and  orderly,  a  fact  indicating,  so  far  as  it 
went,  that  the  incumbent  took  pride  in  the  business,  and  would 
be  likely  to  perform  its  duties  with  fidelity.  As  the  stranger 
entered,  he  found  the  proprietor  emplo}^ed  at  his  trade.  The 
man  looked  up,  and  their  eyes  met.  Accustomed  to  read  coun- 
tenances with  an  insight  that  approaches  divination,  the  detec- 
tive instantaneously  decided  that  the  face  before  him  was  pe- 
culiarly open  and  honest.  As  salutations  were  exchanged, 
the  voice  and  manner  of  the  harness-maker  confirmed  the 
favorable  impression. 

*  Are  you  Mr.  Garmo  the  postmaster?"  inquired  the  special 
agent. 

"  Yes,  sir,"  was  the  reply. 

"Well,  sir,  I  have  to  inform  you  that  I  am  a  special  agent 
of  the  post-office  department,  and  the  object  of  my  visit  will, 
I  presume,  be  readily  surmised  by  you." 

"Yes,  sir,"  said  he,  with  a  deep-drawn  sigh  ;  "  I  expected  it." 

With  the  view  of  testing  the  resiliency  of  the  postmaster,  he 
resolved  to  deliver  a  heavy  blow,  and  to  closely  watch  the 
effect. 

"Such  being  the  case,  Mr.  Garmo,  I  conclude  no  formality 
is  necessary,  and  I  am  compelled  to  request  you  to  accompany 
me  to  Frostburgh  at  once." 

K  Well,  sir,  I  am  ready  to  go ;  but  as  true  as  I  have  a  soul 
to  be  saved  or  lost,  I  am  innocent  of  the  crime  charged  upon 
me." 

This  was  uttered  in  a  low,  tremulous  tone,  so  sorrow-laden 
that  it  sounded  like  the  last  plaint  from  a  broken  heart.  At 
the  same  time  an  expression  of  rayless  agony,  the  outcome  of 
days  and  nights  of  continuous  anguish,  overspread  his  features, 


OUT   OF    THE    DEEPS. 

as  if  the  final  spark  of  hope,  after  a  long  and  terrible  but 
losing  struggle,  was  now  extinguished  forever. 

The  sympathies  of  the  detective,  deep,  tender,  and  respon- 
sive,—  though  few  would  suspect  the  fact,  —  were  profoundly 
moved.  He  answered  with  perceptible  emotion, — 

"I  feel  sincerely  sorry  for  you,  Mr.  Garmo,  and  earnestly 
trust  that  the  investigation  will  establish  your  entire  innocence 
of  all  complicity  in  this  most  wretched  and  melancholy  affair." 

w  No,  sir, — no,  sir,  it  never  will,"  he  exclaimed.  "Though  I 
may  be  declared  guiltless,  the  stigma  will  remain,  leaving  me  a 
branded  and  ruined  man.  O,  my  God,  my  God  !  what  have  I 
done  to  bring  this  distress  upon  me  and  mine?  Compared  with 
this  horrible  torture,  death  on  the  rack  would  be  happiness ! " 

His  words  expired  in  convulsive  sobbing.  An  outflow  of 
tears  having  partially  restored  his  composure,  he  resumed  in  a 
voice  frequently  interrupted  by  spasms  of  choking,  — 

"You  cannot  tell,  sir,  what  thoughts  rack  my  poor  brain 
during  the  long  and  sleepless  night.  Suicide  is  sinful  in  the 
sight  of  God,  and  dreadful  to  think  about.  Yet,  were  I  alone 
in  the  world,  I  might  be  driven  to  it.  But  my  good,  dear  wife  ! 
my  brave,  noble  boys  !  I  want  to  be  with  them,  if  not  here, 
hereafter.  Look  at  my  poor  suffering  wife.  She  is  nearly 
crazed.  Look  at  her,  and  may  our  blessed  Father  save  you 
from  such  agony." 

Trembling  like  an  aspen  leaf,  as  if  barely  able  to  stand,  he 
pointed  toward  a  window  in  the  adjoining  house.  A  woman 
of  commanding  form  and  of  a  face  divinely  beautiful  in  its 
unutterable  sadness,  paced  the  floor,  unconscious  of  the  pres- 
ence of  a  stranger,  unconscious  of  everything  except  the  woe 
that  lay  like  a  mountain  upon  her  crushed  and  bleeding  heart. 

The  despair  in  that  countenance  acted  upon  the  brain  of  the 
detective  like  a  draught  of  magic  potency.  The  effect  was 
electric.  His  nerves  thrilled,  and  his  excited  heart-throbs 
seemed  to  articulate  "There  is  no  crime  in  this  household." 

Despite  the  damning  circumstances  which  enveloped  the  un- 
fortunate man,  the  inspiration  came  down  with  resistless  power. 


A   NEW    LEAD.  537 

He  felt,  he  knew  that  the  postmaster  was  unjustly  accused; 
and  grasping  his  hand,  exclaimed  from  a  heart  full  to  over- 
flowing, — 

"  Mr.  Garmo,  I  believe  you  are  innocent,  and  I  think  I  can 
help  you  to  establish  the  fact  here  in  your  own  home.  Come, 
let  us  sit  down  and  talk  the  matter  over  calmly." 

The  assurance  of  the  detective  acted  like  a  sedative  upon 
the  shattered  nerves  of  the  accused.  He  soon  regained  a  tol- 
erable degree  of  composure,  answering  the  questions  put  to 
him  candidly,  without  manifesting  any  disposition  to  withhold 
the  facts.  He  was  assisted  in  the  post-office  by  his  elder  son, 
who  was  in  charge  the  day  when  the  Luffer  letter  went  astray. 
The  younger  boy  occasionally  aided,  though  both  were  legally 
incompetent,  being  under  sixteen  years  of  age. 

On  the  day  so  fatal  to  the  peace  of  this  family,  Mr.  Garmo 
assisted  at  the  funeral  ceremonies  of  the  soldier  who  returned 
home  wounded  from  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  to  die  among 
friends.  According  to  the  best  of  his  recollection  he  was  so 
busily  occupied  elsewhere  that  he  did  not  visit  the  office  at  all. 
He  had  questioned  his  boys  about  the  letter,  but  they  could  re- 
member nothing  in  regard  to  it,  though  it  was  rumored  about 
the  village  that  one  of  them  was  seen  to  handle  that  day  a 
large  letter,  through  a  torn  end  of  which  money  was  observed 
inside.  Such  in  substance  was  all  the  father  appeared  to  know 
about  the  mysterious  loss.  A  patient,  passive,  timorous  man,  he 
wilted  at  the  first  rude  breath  of 'suspicion,  lacking  the  courage 
to  grapple  the  charge  and  throttle  it  at  the  outset.  Conduct 
dictated  by  constitutional  faint-heartedness  was  hastily  construed 
by  the  public  as  a  tacit  admission  of  guilt. 

On  learning  how  the  duties  of  the  office  were  performed, 
the  agent  conjectured  that  the  elder  son,  having  probably  seen 
the  mone}'  while  left  alone  in  charge  of  the  business,  could 
not  resist  the  temptation  to  take  it.  Without  assigning  a  reason 
for  the  request,  he  accordingly  indicated  to  the  father  a  desire 
to  converse  with  the  boy  alone.  He  was  sent  for,  and  soon 
made  his  appearance.  Taking  him  into  a  side-room,  under 


538  OUT    OF    THE    DEEPS. 

the  impression  that  he  was  the  real  culprit,  the  agent  labored 
assiduously  to  extort  an  acknowledgment  of  guilt.  Said  he, — 

"James,  I  have  come  a  long  distance  on  a  very  sad  errand. 
Your  good,  kind  father,  whom  you  love  so  dearly,  is  accused 
of  stealing.  He  is  the  postmaster,  and  has  to  bear  the  blame 
of  every  wrong  done  in  the  office.  When  you  commit  an 
error,  he  suffers  for  it ;  your  poor  father  may  not  know  any- 
thing about  it,  yet  the  punishment  falls  on  him.  It  will  crush 
you  by  and  by,  too,  for  God  sees  and  never  forgets.  Yes,  he 
will  have  to  be  arrested,  and  tried  before  a  great  many  people, 
and  sent  to  prison,  to  languish  for  years  in  a  grated  cell  behind 
iron  bars.  When  he  is  gone,  what  will  become  of  your  sweet, 
gentle  mother,  whose  heart  is  already  broken?  She  cannot 
bear  the  anguish.  She  will  die.  With  your  father  in  prison 
and  your  mother  in  the  grave,  what  is  there  for  you  and  your 
little  brother  to  look  forward  to?  How  much  better  to  confess 
and  save  them.  You  are  young  yet ;  and  although  the  crime  is 
great,  the  neighbors  will  forgive  it ;  and  if  you  do  right  hereafter, 
God  will  also  forgive  it.  Now,  James,  tell  me  the  truth,  and 
save  your  poor,  agonized  parents.  You  know  how  dreadful 
are  their  sufferings.  Do  not  permit  their  misery  to  continue 
any  longer.  What  did  you  do  with  that  letter  for  Mr.  LufFer?" 

w  I  do  not  know  anything  about  the  letter,"  answered  James, 
after  the  officer  had  exhausted  the  powers  of  pathos. 

"James,  James,  I  am  astonished  to  find  one  so  young  as  you, 
so  hardened  in  crime.  Only  fifteen  years  old,  and  already  a 
thief  and  a  liar!  What  will  become  of  you?  If  you  live, 
what  a  monster  of  wickedness  you  will  grow  into  !  I  have 
never  seen  such  a  case  before,  and  hope  never  to  see  another." 

The  words  were  terrible ;  but  the  officer  was  following  a 
blind  trail,  determined  at  all  hazards  to  reach  the  truth.  If  the 
boy  was  guilty,  he  deserved  it;  if  innocent,  the  arrows,  though 
dipped  in  gall,  were  sure  to  glance  harmless  from  the  armor 
of  honesty,  to  be  lost  and  forgotten.  Again  the  lad  replied, — 

"  I  do  not  know  anything  about  the  letter.  If  I  did,  I  would 
tell  you.  I  can't  tell  what  I  don't  know." 


f 


A   DUBIOUS    EXPLANATION.  539 


To  every  fresh  charge  he  answered  in  substantially  the  same 
terms,  till  the  questioner  became  satisfied  that  the  youth  was 
really  as  ignorant  of  the  affair  as  he  claimed  to  be.  Convinced 
that  it  would  be  a  waste  of  labor  to  work  longer  at  that  lead, 
he  said,  — 

"Well,  James,  you  may  go  now.  Send  your  younger 
brother  to  me." 

The  detective  was  greatly  puzzled.  He  tried  over  and  over 
to  build  up  a  theory  to  suit  the  facts ;  but  the  repeated  attempts 
only  led  to  still  deeper  perplexities.  Without  being  able  to 
give  a  satisfactory  reason  for  the  conclusion,  he  was  already 
convinced  that  neither  Garmo  nor  the  older  boy  had  purloined 
the  letter.  And  yet  the  letter  was  gone.  Suddenly  it  occurred 
to  him  that  he  had  omitted  to  speak  to  the  postmaster  about 
the  money  paid  to  the  tax-collector.  Here  was  an  ugly  fact 
on  the  very  threshold  of  the  inquiry,  which  might  bar  out  the 
entry  of  confidence,  and  show  that  the  previous  expressions 
of  trust  in  the  honesty  of  that  official  were  ill-advised  and 
premature.  He  instantly  beckoned  him  into  the  private  room, 
and  watching  with  the  alertness  of  a  hawk  the  effect  of  the 
words,  remarked,  — 

"I  forgot  to  ask  you,  Mr.  Garmo,  from  whom  you  obtained 
the  Faneuil  Hall  Bank  bills  with  which  you  paid  your  taxes." 

Without  the  slightest  hesitation  he  replied,  — 

"From  Mr.  Silas  Rafferty." 

"Who  is  Mr.  Silas  Rafferty?" 

"A  cattle-buyer  from  Massachusetts,  who  comes  this  way 
two  or  three  times  a  year  to  purchase  stock." 

"What  transactions  had  you  with  Mr.  Rafferty?" 

"I  had  a  bill  against  him  for  harness  and  harness-mending." 

"Where  is  he  now?" 

"  I  don't  know." 

"When  did  you  see  him  last?" 

*"  I  do  not  remember  to  have  seen  him  since  he  paid  me  the 
bill.  He  may  have  returned  to  Massachusetts.  He  is  only 
here  at  odd  intervals." 


54°  OUT    OF   THE    DEEPS. 

Here  was  a  weak  spot  in  the  case ;  but  it  did  not  shake  the 
conclusion  of  the  detective. 

At  this  juncture  the  younger  son  entered,  and  the  father 
was  asked  to  withdraw.  Before  a  word  was  uttered,  the  little 
fellow  burst  into  tears,  and  sobbed  so  piteously  that  all  efforts 
to  comfort  him  proved  futile.  At  length  the  officer  began  to 
wonder  if  the  real  perpetrator  of  all  the  mischief  stood  before 
him.  Finding  that  tones  of  tenderness  failed  to  soothe  the 
child,  he  changed  his  tactics,  and  assuming  a  sternness  which 
he  did  not  feel,  said  peremptorily,  — 

"  Stop  your  crying  at  once,  and  answer  my  questions.  What 
is  your  name?" 

"Willie  Garmo,  sir,"  he  replied. 

"Now,  Willie,"  continued  the  officer,  "I  want  you  to  sit 
down  beside  me.  I  know  you  are  a  good  boy,  and  am  sure 
you  will  give  straightforward  answers  to  the  questions  I  am 
going  to  ask  you.  Your  poor  father  is  in  trouble,  and  your 
mamma  — 

At  this  point  the  child  rose  from  his  seat,  and  placing  his 
little  hand  on  the  knee  of  the  detective,  looked  up  trustfully, 
as  if  catching  a  gleam  of  sunshine  through  a  rift  in  the 
clouds.  The  boy  was  remarkably  handsome,  with  a  frank, 
open,  ingenuous  countenance,  the  spiritual  beauty  of  which 
had  never  been  marred  by  falsehood  or  guile.  The  man 
upon  whose  breast  the  storms  of  many  years  had  beaten,  was 
drawn  toward  the  little  fellow  by  a  resistless  fascination.  In  a 
long  and  eventful  experience  he  never  appreciated  before 
what  dignity,  impressiveness,  and  power  may  lie  enshrined  in 
the  face  of  a  sinless  child.  With  quick  intuition  the  boy 
caught  the  look  of  sympathy,  and  nestled  more  closely  under 
the  shelter  of  his  new  friend. 

"Please,  sir,"  he  began,  "none  of  us  stole  the  letter." 

"What  letter?"  queried  the  officer,  as  not  a  word  had  before 
been  uttered  on  the  subject. 

"Why,  the  letter  Mr.  Luffer  says  papa  stole,"  he  replied. 
w  None  of  us  took  it ;  but  papa  and  mamma  are  almost  crazy 


THE  BOY  AND  THE  GRECIAN  BEND, 


541 


about  it.  They  don't  eat  or  sleep;  and  I  am  sure  it  will  kill 
them.  When  brother  or  I  go  out,  the  boys  shout '  letter-thief! ' 
after  us.  They  snowball  us  and  break  our  windows,  so  that 
we  are  afraid  and  ashamed  to  be  seen  on  the  streets.  O,  if 
you  could  only  know  how  my  dear  mamma  suffers,  I  am  sure 
you  would  pity  her  !  " 

*  Willie,"  asked  the  officer  gently,  "  have  you  tried  to  think 
how  the  letter  may  have  been  lost?" 

"Yes,  sir,  I  have.  I  believe  a  boy  across  the  street  knowrs 
something  about  it ;  but  he  won't  tell,  because  he  is  mad  at 
brother  and  me." 

"What  is  the  name  of  the  boy?" 

"Frank  Potwin,  sir." 

Further  inquiries  elicited 
the  information  that  on  the 
black  day  for  the  Garmo  fam- 
ily, Frank  quarreled  with  a 
comrade  at  the  slaughter- 
house. After  exchanging 
hard  words,  the  belligerents 
clinched.  In  the  tussle,  Frank 
was  overpowered  and  by 
main  force  was  seated  on  an 
iron  kettle  which  happened  to 
stand  conveniently  near.  The 

tripod,  narrow  at  the  top,  bellied  out  into  the  familiar  form  of 
such  utensils,  below.  As  the  fat,  rotund  lad  was  pressed  down 
still  harder  in  the  struggle,  he  became  impacted  in  the  kettle 
like  the  cork  in  a  champagne-bottle.  When  permitted  to  rise 
up,  the  ornament  still  clung  to  him,  laying  the  foundation  for 
a  magnificent  display  of  the  Grecian  bend.  The  spectators 
laughed  and  shouted  immoderately  at  the  novel  sight,  which 
served  to  still  further  intensify  the  exasperation  of  the  van- 
quished youth.  James  Garmo  took  quite  a  conspicuous  part 
in  the  fun,  so  that  Frank  was  particularly  incensed  against 
him.  When,  a  few  days  later,  the  scandal  of  the  lost  letter 


He  became  impacted  in  the  kettle  like 
the  cork  in  a  champagne-bottle." 


OUT    OF   THE    DEEPS. 

began  to  agitate  the  public,  a  capital  opportunity  to  retaliate 
was  thrown  in  his  way,  which  he  improved  to  the  utmost. 
Frank  led  the  snowballing  parties,  and  practised  lustily  at 
shouting  "letter-thief."  On  one  occasion  he  intimated  to 
Willie  Garmo,  in  a  boastful,  tantalizing  way,  that  he  knew 
something  about  the  letter,  but  wouldn't  tell.  Willie  men- 
tioned the  circumstance  at  home,  but  none  of  the  family  paid 
any  attention  to  the  matter,  regarding  it  merely  as  a  piece  of 
childish  badinage.  The  special  agent,  accustomed  to  permit 
no  incident,  however  trifling  it  might  appear,  to  pass  un- 
noticed, resolved  to  see  Master  Frank,  to  learn  the  meaning 
of  his  talk.  He  accordingly  inquired,  "  Willie,  where  can  I 
find  Frank  Potwin  ?  " 

"  He  lives  just  above  that  cooper  shop,"  answered  Willie, 
pointing  diagonally  across  the  way  ;  "  and  there  he  is  now." 

In  the  direction  indicated,  a  rough-looking  youth  was  saunter- 
ing lazily  along,  basket  in  hand,  evidently  bound  to  a  neigh- 
boring grocery  for  supplies.  In  an  instant  the  plans  of  the 
officer  were  laid.  Waiting  till  the  lad  had  proceeded  a  suffi- 
cient distance  to  prevent  the  famity  at  home  from  seeing  the 
subsequent  movements,  he  followed  rapidly  behind,  and  laying 
his  hand  lightly  on  the  shoulder  of  the  late  belligerent,  saluted 
him  in  a  perfectly  familiar  and  matter-of-fact  tone,  "Why, 
how  do  you  do,  Frank?  How  are  all  at  home?" 

Looking  up  in  surprise,  the  youngster  replied,  — 

w  I  don't  know  you." 

"O  yes,  you  do,  Frank.  Don't  you  remember  I  came  up 
when  you  had  that  fight  at  the  slaughter-house.  They  used  you 
very  meanly.  I  wanted  to  thrash  the  fellow  who  put  you  in  the 
kettle.  He  was  a  great  deal  bigger  than  you,  and  ought  to 
have  been  ashamed  of  himself.  You  hit  hard,  though." 

By  this  time  the  attention  of  Master  Frank  was  fully  aroused. 
A  strongly  built,  square-jawed,  round-eyed  little  fellow,  he 
reveled  in  fisticuffs  as  the  highest  entertainment  the  village 
afforded.  The  implied  compliment  to  his  method  of  delivering 
blows  at  an  antagonist,  was  evidently  received  with  keen  relish. 


A    CHANCE    SHOT. 


543 


But  the  countenance  of  the  juvenile  boxer  betrayed  a  decided 
state  of  mental  mystification.  Here  was  a  man  who  knew 
about  him,  but  whom  he  could  not  remember.  Without  allow- 
ing him  a  moment  for  the 
recovery  of  his  scattered 
thoughts,  the  detective 
continued  :  "  Don't  you 
recollect,  Frank,  that  I 
was  at  the  post-office 
when  you  took  Mr.  Luf- 
fer's  letter  ?  " 

This  was  a  desperate 
venture,  but  it  proved  a 
safe  one,  for  in  an  instant 
he  replied,  "I  didn't  get 
the  letter.  It  was  Tony 
Eldridge.  That  was  be- 
fore he  went  to  Brier  Hill 
to  live." 

"  So  it  was,"  answered 
the    detective,  with   non- 
chalance, as  if  slowly  re-  "  °'  yes>  y°u  do> 
covering  incidents  which  had  partially  escaped  from  the  mem- 
ory.    "  So  it  was." 

"Yes,"  said  Frank  ;  "  when  he  got  it  out  he  showed  it  to  me, 
and  I  saw  the  money,  for  the  end  was  all  tor'd.  It  was  a  big, 
fat  letter,  an'  I  tol'  him  he  orter  keep  it." 

A  tremor  of  excitement  ran  through  the  frame  of  the  officer, 
for  he  felt  that  he  was  on  the  verge  of  an  important  discovery. 
Frank  had  obviously  told  all  he  knew  about  the  matter,  so  that 
it  was  useless  to  spend  more  time  in  pumping  at  that  spring. 
He  accordingly  dismissed  the  lad  with  some  trite  observation 
entirely  foreign  to  the  subject  in  hand,  and  the  little  fellow, 
glad  to  be  free  again,  went  on,  whistling  unconcernedly,  to 
finish  his  errand. 

The  agent  recrossed  the  street,  and  returned  to  the  post- 


544  °UT  OF  THE  DEEPS. 

office  to  confer  with  Mr.  Garmo.  "  Do  you  know,"  he  in- 
quired, "a  boy  named  Tony  Eldridge  ?" 

"Yes,"  replied  the  postmaster*,  "  he  used  to  live  in  the  vil- 
lage here.  I  believe  he  has  moved  to  Brier  Hill.  I  haven't 
seen  him  for  some  time." 

"  Do  you  think  you  can  find  him  ?  " 

"  I  guess  so.    I'll  try,  if  you  wish  it.    Why  do  you  want  him  ?  " 

"Through  him,"  answered  the  detective,  "I  hope  to  get 
news  of  the  lost  letter.  Hitch  up  your  team,  and  drive  for  your 
life  to  Brier  Hill.  Bring  the  boy  nolens  volens,  but  do  not 
intimate  in  any  way  who  wants  him  or  what  he  is  wanted  for." 

The  postmaster  required  no  spurs  to  urge  him  on.  Putting 
on  an  overcoat,  he  shot  out  of  the  door  and  was  off.  In  an 
incredibly  short  time  he  returned,  bringing  a  well-grown  youth 
whom  the  agent  correctly  surmised  to  be  Tony  Eldridge.  As 
the  stranger  leaped  from  the  sleigh,  he  caught  him  by  the 
arm,  and  hurried  him  into  the  side-room  to  get  him  away  from 
a  number  of  people  —  acquaintances,  and,  perhaps,  friends  — 
who  had  congregated  about  the  entrance  to  the  post  office. 
Closing  the  door  of  the  private  apartment,  the  agent  prepared 
for  business.  His  first  conjecture  was,  that  if  the  fellow  really 
took  the  letter  as  stated  by  Frank  Potwin,  he  had  destroyed  it 
after  appropriating  the  contents.  Assuming  the  truth  of  the 
theory,  would  the  guilty  party  at  this  late  day  admit  the  fact, 
or  deny  everything  ?  If,  as  was  probable,  he  decided  upon 
the  latter  policy,  what  evidence  had  the  detective  except  the 
childish  statement  of  Frank  Potwin  ?  Shortly  before,  he  seemed 
to  be  sailing  before  the  breeze,  over  smooth  waters,  under  a 
bright  sky  ;  but  now,  when  the  critical  moment  arrived,  a  thick 
fog  obscured  the  fair  prospect,  leaving  it  doubtful  in  what 
direction  to  steer  for  the  desired  haven. 

A  glance  sufficed  to  discover  that  Tony  had  a  tell-tale  face. 
At  any  rate,  in  the  contest  of  wits,  the  rude  country  boy  would 
be  likely  to  prove  a  very  unequal  match  for  the  trained  man 
of  affairs.  The  officer  determined  to  surprise  the  truth  out  of 
him  by  an  unexpected  and  vigorous  attack,  and  accordingly 


ANOTHER   FROSTY    RIDE.  545 

demanded,  in  a  harsh,  peremptory  voice,  "  What  did  you  do, 
sir,  with  the  letter  for  Mr.  Luffer,  which  you  took  from  this 
post-office  the  day  the  soldier  was  buried  ?  " 

The  youth  hesitated  a  moment,  not,  apparently,  because 
anything  troubled  his  conscience,  but  for  the  purpose  of  re- 
freshing his  memory,  and  then  replied,  composedly,  as  if  the 
transaction  was  one  of  commonplace  occurrence,  "  Why,  I 
gave  it  to  Mrs.  Bliss." 

w  Who  is  Mrs.  Bligs?" 

"She  is  an  old  lady  living  at  Round  Bay.  A  good  many 
have  their  mail  left  there." 

The  postmaster  was  now  invited  to  join  the  conference.  It 
appeared  that  Mrs.  Bliss,  an  elderly  lady  of  great  excellence 
of  character,  resided  in  a  back  settlement  several  miles  distant. 
Her  house,  located  near  the  junction  of  two  important  roads, 
was  the  focal  point  of  the  neighborhood,  letters,  papers,  and 
other  packets  being  left  there  to  await  the  call  of  the  owners. 
Mr.  Luffer  lived  near  by,  and  had  long  been  in  the  habit  of 
having  his  mail  left  at  her  house,  whoever  went  to  Forsyth 
bringing  back  everything  that  belonged  to  the  community. 

"Well,"  remarked  the  special  agent,  "you  must  both  go 
with  me  to  Round  Bay,  to  learn  what  Mrs.  Bliss  remembers 
about  the  letter."  The  three  jumped  into  the  sleigh,  drew  the 
buffalo-robe  around  them,  and  were  off  on  a  fast  trot.  The 
cold  was  still  intense,  and  w  rude  Boreas,  blustering  railer," 
seemed  to  sweep  down  without  obstruction  from  his  home  at 
the  north  pole. 

"  Sharp  wind !  keen  wind !  cutting  as  word  arrows, 
Empty  thy  quiver-full !     Pass  by !     What  is  it  to  thee 
That  in  some  mortal  eyes  life's  whole  bright  circle  narrows 
To  one  misery?  " 

Thus  far  everything  worked  favorably,  and  the  omens  were 
auspicious  for  a  happy  issue  of  the  inquiry.  On  the  road  they 
soon  met  a  traveler  who  was  recognized  as  the  son  of  Mr. 
Silas  Rafferty,  the  Massachusetts  drover,  from  whom  Mr. 
Garmo,  according  to  his  own  statement,  received  the  two 
35 


546  OUT    OF    THE    DEEPS. 

twenty-dollar  bills  on  the  Faneuil  Hall  Bank,  which  were  sub- 
sequently paid  to  the  tax-collector,  making  one  of  the  strongest 
links  in  the  chain  of  evidence  against  him.  The  sleigh  was 
brought  to  a  stop,  and  the  officer  briefly  explained  the  charac- 
ter of  the  information  which  he  desired  to  obtain. 

After  relieving  his  vocal  organs  of  a  flood  of  tobacco-juice, 
the  youth,  applying  to  his  immediate  paternal  ancestor  an  epithet 
not  intended  to  be  irreverent,  replied,  "Wall,  the  old  man  kin 
tell  you  better  about  it  than  me.  He'll  be  along  directly.  He 
drove  over  to  the  hollow  there,  to  say  a  word  or  two  to  a  man 
he's  been  dickerin'  with,  and  won't  be  hindered  a  minute. 
There  he  comes  now." 

Just  then  a  short,  stout  man  drove  up  in  the  dusk,  and 
stopped  his  horse  with  a  loud  "whoa  !  " — an  effort  entirely  super- 
fluous, as  the  animal  seemed  much  more  inclined  to  stand  than 
to  move.  Without  waiting  for  the  formality  of  an  introduc- 
tion, the  special  agent  began  :  "  Mr.  Rafferty,  I  am  very  glad 
to  meet  you.  Mr.  Garmo,  the  postmaster,  is  in  trouble  about 
a  lost  letter,  and  you  may  be  able  to  aid  in  clearing  up  the 
mystery." 

"  In  trouble?  "  ejaculated  the  drover,  interrogatively  ;  "what 
do  you  mean?  I  have  heard  nothing." 

The  agent  answered  the  question  by  asking  another.  "When 
did  you  reach  town,  Mr.  Rafferty?" 

"I  came  to-day,  and  hope  to  get  off  to-morrow;  but  what's 
the  trouble?" 

In  a  few  words  the  matter  was  explained,  all  of  which  was; 
news  to  the  honest  cattle-buyer. 

"Wall,"  said  he,  "so  far  as  I'm  consarn'd,  the  statement  of 
Mr.  Garmo  is  correct  in  every  partic'lar.  I've  got  the  receipt 
in  my  pocket,  and  some  more  bills  of  the  same  sort." 

"I  am  sorry  to  trouble  you,"  answered  the  agent,  "but  as  this 
is  a  matter  of  great  importance  to  Mr.  Garmo,  I  should  like 
to  see  the  papers  with  my  own  eyes." 

"Very  well,"  replied  the  drover,  "I  can  easily  satisfy  you." 

The  officer  jumped  out,  and  sprang  to  the  side  of  Mr.  Raf- 


AN    IMPORTANT    CONFIRMATION. 


547 


ferty,  who  produced  a  capacious  pocket-book,  and  there,  sure 
enough,  were  several  bills  of  the  same  denomination  on  the 
same  bank,  and  a  receipt  for  thirty-eight  dollars  and  ten  cents, 
signed  by  William  Garrno.  The  twilight  was  fast  deepening 


"  The  officer  jumped  out,  and  sprang  to  the  side  of  Mr.  Hafferty." 

into  darkness,  but  the  eager  reader,  aided  by  the  reflection 
from  the  pure  white  snow,  was  enabled  to  decipher  the  writing. 
Thus  the  story  of  the  postmaster  was  fully  corroborated  both 
by  the  testimony  of  the  drover  and  by  the  contents  of  the 
pocket-book. 

It  was  certainly  a  remarkable  coincidence  that  the  detective 


548  OUT    OF    THE    DEEPS. 

and  the  cattle-buyer,  after  a  journey  of  several  hundred  miles 
on  the  part  of  each,  should  arrive  at  the  same  time  in  a  remote 
and  secluded  neighborhood,  to  meet  on  the  only  day  when  the 
two  could  be  thrown  together  in  a  way  likely  to  further  the 
ends  of  the  investigation.  The  historiographer  cannot,  like 
the  writer  of  romance,  group  characters  and  events  to  suit  the 
plot,  but  is  compelled,  in  dealing  with  hard,  uncompromising 
facts,  to  report  them  as  they  occur,  whether  the  incidents  fit 
into  the  narrative  artistically  or  not.  Perhaps  no  pursuit  in 
real  life  so  abounds  in  strange  situations  and  unexpected  but 
logical  denouements  as  the  business  of  the  detective.  That 
the  sin  of  the  evil-doer,  though  sunk  w  deeper  than  e'er  plum- 
met sounded,"  will  find  him  out,  receives  in  his  round  of 
experience  repeated  and  startling  exemplifications.  Here,  on 
the  other  hand,  occurs  a  conjunction,  perfectly  natural  in  one 
view,  yet  very  extraordinary  in  another,  which  contributes 
materially  to  lift  from  the  shoulders  of  innocence,  a  burden  of 
odium  none  the  less  heavy  because  undeserved. 

•'  There  is  a  divinity  that  shapes  our  ends, 
Rough-hew  them  how  we  will." 

With  the  infinite  resources  of  Omniscience  and  Omnipo- 
tence arrayed  against  the  evil-doer,  it  is  marvelous  that  any 
man  dare  take  the  first  step  in  a  career  of  villany.  With  all 
the  powers  of  Heaven  enlisted  on  the  side  of  truth  and  justice, 
it  is  almost  equally  strange  that  the  consciously  right  ever 
despair  even  when  the  prospect  looks  blackest.  Human  vision 
cannot  see  the  end,  cannot  indeed  penetrate  at  all  into  the 
bosom  of  futurity ;  but,  in  the  order  of  nature,  troubles  arising 
from  no  fault  of  the  sufferer,  form  the  most  evanescent  of 
clouds,  intercepting  for  a  moment  only  the  light  from  the  divine 
presence.  Failure  to  recognize  the  law,  old  as  time  and  broad 
as  the  universe,  continually  folding  us  in  its  beneficence,  springs 
from  our  inherent  short-sightedness. 

Parting  from  the  drover  with  light  hearts  and  renewed  con- 
fidence in  the  successful  issue  of  the  present  enterprise,  the 


AN  ANTIQUE   HOME.  549 

party  from  Forsyth,  pressing  on  to  Round  Bay,  soon  drew 
rein  in  front  of  an  old-fashioned  house  with  gables  and  pro- 
jecting eaves  such  as  swallows  love  in  summer.  An  ancient 
oaken  door,  divided  into  an  upper  and  lower  half,  and  built 
obviously  to  serve  as  a  barricade  against  the  Indians  in  case 
of  need,  closed  the  front  entrance.  The  rat-tat-tat  of  the 
callers  brought  speed}'  answer,  the  door  being  opened  with  a 
warm  welcome  by  the  mistress  of  the  establishment,  a  woman 
in  the  early  winter  of  life,  whose  lovely  face  bore  record  to 
countless  acts  of  beneficence.  In  a  silvery  voice  she  invited 
the  party  to  "walk  in,"  when  the  detective  scrutinized  sharply 
but  quietly  the  exterior  of  the  next  figure  to  appear  in  this 
singular  drama.  Of  medium  height,  slightly  inclined  to  em- 
bonpoint, with  a  full  face  surmounting  a  double  chin,  hair 
of  soft,  dark  brown  that  had  been  stroked  so  caressingly  by 
Father  Time  that  hardly  a  white  thread  left  trace  of  his  finger- 
marks, and  a  countenance  of  remarkable  sweetness  and  be- 
nevolence, Mrs.  Bliss  was  recognized  at  once  as  the  good 
angel  of  the  neighborhood,  whom  the  young  consulted  in  their 
joys,  and  to  whom  the  troubled  came  with  the  burden  of  their 
sorrows,  assured  of  finding  in  her  presence  both  sympathy  and 
consolation.  Her  eyes  had  lost  little  of  their  early  lustre.  In 
fact,  her  general  person  forcibly  illustrated  the  preservative 
power  of  equanimity  and  goodness.  Yet  it  could  be  seen  at 
once  that  she  had  enjoyed  few  advantages  of  education  or 
society,  and  that  her  culture,  such  as  it  was,  was  the  spon- 
taneous outgrowth  of  a  pure  and  noble  soul. 

In  crossing  the  threshold  into  the  interior  of  the  cottage,  the 
visitor  seemed  to  be  translated  from  the  nineteenth  century 
back  to  the  depths  of  the  medieval  period.  Flames  from  a  fire- 
place broad  and  deep  enough  to  roast  an  ox,  cast  a  ruddy  light 
upon  the  antique  furniture,  upon  the  flitches  of  bacon,  skeins 
of  yarn,  bunches  of  thyme  and  other  medicinal  herbs  that 
hung  from  the  raftered  ceiling,  and  danced  in  bright  reflections 
upon  the  polished  oaken  floor,  bare  of  carpet  and  almost  pain- 
fully clean.  Here  was  all  the  simplicity,  varied  only  by  the 


55°  OUT    OF    THE    DEEPS. 

greater  abundance  of  comfort,  of  the  times  when  Saxons  and 
Normans  were  struggling  for  mastery  on  the  soil  of  "  Merrie 
England." 

As  soon  as  the  party  were  cosily  seated  around  the  open 
fire,  the  special  agent  explained  to  Mrs.  Bliss  the  object  of  the 
visit,  and  how  far  and  favorably  the  investigation  had  pro- 
gressed. Said  he,  "  I  trust,  madam,  you  will  be  able  to  furnish 
the  only  link  now  lacking  in  the  chain  of  evidence.  Do  you 
remember  anything  about  the  letter  for  Mr.  Luffer  ?  " 

"  Really,"  she  replied,  "  I  do  not.  A  great  many  are  left  here 
first  and  last,  but  I  do  not  remember  any  one  in  particular." 

Tony  Eldridge  then  spoke  up.  "  Don't  you  recollect,  Mrs. 
Bliss  ?  I  was  going  to  Forsyth  with  a  load  of  oats  that  day, 
when  you  called  after  me  and  asked  me  to  bring  down  the 
mail  from  the  post-office ;  and  don't  you  recollect  when  I  came 
back  I  brought  a  big  letter,  torn  on  the  end,  which  I  did  up  in 
a  newspaper  to  keep  the  money  from  dropping  out  ?  " 

Unlike  her  beauty,  the  memory  of  the  old  lady  was  fast 
fading,  and  she  replied,  after  trying  in  vain  to  recall  the  van- 
ished circumstance,  "Very  likely,  Tony,  you  brought  me  such 
a  letter,  but  I  don't  remember  anything  about  it.  I  don't, 
indeed." 

The  agent  was  not  a  little  annoyed  and  perplexed  at  the  un- 
favorable turn  in  the  current  of  developments.  While  debating 
mentally  on  the  step  to  be  taken  next,  his  attention  was  at- 
tracted by  a  wheezing,  gasping  noise  to  a  corner  of  the  room 
partially  concealed  by  the  shadow  of  the  huge  chimney,  where 
a  unique  apparition,  resembling  most  an  animated  telescope, 
seemed  to  rise,  joint  by  joint,  in  the  obscurity.  As  the  officer 
watched  the  gradual  evolution  of  the  figure,  he  observed  that 
the  object  was  bifurcated  below  and  crowned  with  a  human 
head  above.  Near  the  base  of  the  rafters,  the  upward  move- 
ment came  to  a  stop,  when  a  man,  extremely  tall,  slender,  and 
stooping,  was  outlined  in  the  dusky  light.  Having  completed 
the  unfolding  process,  the  ghostly  form,  in  Smallweedian 
voice,  began,  — 


AN    ANIMATED    TELESCOPE.  55 1 

"Yes,  mammy,  ugh  !  ugh  !  I  recommember  Tony's  bring- 
ing the  letter,  ugh  !  ugh  !  'cause  I  wondered  who  was  sending 
oats  to  market  so  late.  You  and  Lyddy  (a  little  grand- 
daughter) went  out  when  Tony  holler'd  and  brought  in  the 
letter  and  a  newspa-per,  and  you  said  they  were  for  Luffer. 
And  that's  all  Tony  had,  —  ugh  !  ugh  !  " 

Having  delivered  this  long,  but  under  the  circumstances 
highly  interesting  speech,  the  telescope  closed  section  by 
section.  The  memory  of  Mrs.  Bliss  having  been  jogged  by 
her  husband,  —  for  such  was  the  relation  the  tall  man  bore  to 
her,  —  placed  her  chin  between  the  thumb  and  index-finger 
of  the  left  hand,  and  thought  the  matter  over.  All  at  once 
the  circumstance  seemed  to  come  back  in  perfect  freshness. 
With  animated  countenance  and  sparkling  eye,  she  exclaimed, 
w  O,  yes,  yes,  yes,  I  know  now.  I  took  the  letter,  and  folded 
the  paper  about  it  like  a  little  basket,  and  brought  the  corners 
together  so  it  could  be  carried  safely.  I  gave  it  to  Julie 
Luffer,  Mr.  Luffer's  little  girl,  and  told  her  to  go  home  by 
the  lane;  but  the  little  thing  didn't  mind.  She  would  go 
across  the  lots,  and  I  'spect  she  dropped  out  the  letter  in 
clim'in'  the  fences.  I  remember  the  facts  now  just  as  they 
occurred." 

At  length  rose  the  truth,  though  crushed  to  earth  and 
ground  in  dust  by  the  heels  of  hard  and  thoughtless  men. 
Step  by  step,  by  evidence  that  could  not  be  impeached  or 
questioned,  the  letter,  whose  hitherto  unaccountable  disap- 
pearance had  brought  so  many  troubles  upon  the  house  of 
Garmo,  had  now  been  traced  from  the  post-office  into  the 
hands  of  a  member  of  Mr.  LufFer's  own  family.  Once 
more  William  Garmo  could  stand  up  before  the  world  with 
garments  unspotted.  When  the  last  cord  was  cut  which 
bound  the  load  of  undeserved  obloquy  to  the  back  of  the 
postmaster,  and  it  rolled  away  like  the  pack  from  the 
shoulders  of  Christian,  he  almost  ran  wild  with  delight. 
The  special  agent  under  whose  guidance  the  battle  had  been 
fought,  and  by  whose  skill  the  victory  had  been  won,  though 


552  OUT    OF    THE    DEEPS. 

more  temperate  in  its  outward  manifestation,  shared  fully  in 
the  general  joy. 

One  thing  only  seemed  wanting  to  complete  the  circle 
of  happiness,  and  that  was  the  presence  of  Mr.  Luffer. 
The  detective  did  not  doubt  for  a  moment  that  he  would  be 
equally  pleased  with  the  rest  at  the  vindication  of  Mr. 
Garmo,  an  old  neighbor  and  friend.  As  he  lived  but  a 
short  distance  away,  he  was  sent  for  and  soon  made  his 
appearance.  The  gentleman  was  evidently  surprised  to  en- 
counter in  company  with  a  stranger,  the  person  whom  he 
was  hunting  down  with  suits  and  petitions ; 
but  to  reassure  him  and  give  him  a  chance 
to  participate  in  the  rejoicing,  the  agent 
briefly  narrated  the  events  of  the  day,  which 
demonstrated  conclusively  the  guiltlessness 
of  the  postmaster.  The  intelligence  pro- 
duced an  effect  entirely  unexpected.  To  the 
amazement  of  the  officer,  Aminadab  pre- 

Aminadab  Luffer. 

tended  to  disbelieve  the  whole  story,  adding 
in  an  extremely  offensive  manner,  "Who  are  you,  anyhow? 
It  is  d — n  strange  none  of  these  wonderful  discoveries  were 
made  before  you  came.     You  may  think  I  am  green." 
Of  Aminadab  the  poet  might  truly  say  :  — 

"  Seldom  he  smiles,  and  smiles  in  such  a  sort, 
As  if  he  mock'd  himself,  and  scor'd  his  spirit, 
That  could  be  mov'd  to  smile  at  anything." 

Naturally  weak,  the  man  had  one  overpowering  passion 
that  lent  to  his  character  a  deceptive  show  of  strength. 
Avarice  mastered  his  thoughts,  driving  him  onward  to  acts 
which  little  comported  with  his  native  prudence  and  timidity. 

Aminadab  had  not  yet  taken  a  seat,  but  stood  in  the  middle 
of  the  floor  holding  in  a  temporizing  way  the  chair  placed 
there  for  his  convenience.  The  fire-light  played  queerly 
on  his  face,  exaggerating  perhaps  the  repulsive  features  of 
a  countenance  unprepossessing  at  best.  A  crop  of  short, 


A    REPULSIVE    WRETCH.  553 

coarse,  red  hair  rivaled  the  flames  in  brilliancy  of  hue,  and 
admirably  matched  the  color  of  his  nose ;  a  narrow  upper 
lip  utterly  refused  to  cover  a  ragged  set  of  teeth  ;  while  two 
cold,  cruel  eyes  kept  winking  and  blinking  as  if  the  lids  in 
very  shame  strove  to  close  the  curtains  upon  the  abject  mean- 
ness of  the  soul  within.  A  short,  stout  body  propped  upon 
a  pair  of  bow-legs  completed  the  tout-ensemble  of  Aminadab 
Luffer. 

The  insulting  tones  of  the  wretch  still  rung  in  the  ears 
of  the  detective,  who  eyed  him  with  ineffable  disgust  as 
the  most  repulsive  and  dastardly  creature,  outside  of  the 
professedly  criminal  classes,  whom  fate  had  ever  thrown  in 
his  path.  Several  comparisons,  by  no  means  complimentary, 
at  once  suggested  themselves.  As  particularly  pertinent  to 
the  situation  he  thought  of  the  man  Charles  Lamb  in  his 
stuttering  fashion  used  to  tell  about.  "A  certain  sect  have 
a  belief  that  when  a  child  is  b-born,  the  soul  of  a  dying  m-m- 
man  passes  into  the  child.  Now  when  N —  was  b-born, 
n-nobody  died."  Then  he  recalled  the  comparison,  expres- 
sive but  a  little  mixed,  uttered  by  a  jolly  jack-tar  to  a 
messmate  in  speaking  of  a  disreputable  acquaintance :  "  How 
I  wish  I  had  as  much  tobacco  as  he  looks  like  the  devil." 

Meanwhile  Aminadab  had  been  massing  his  feeble  mental 
forces  for  a  fresh  assault.  Turning  to  the  stranger,  he  broke 
forth  again,  "What,  in  the  name  of  h — "  (mentioning  a 
locality  supposed  to  have  been  set  apart  for  the  special  use 
and  benefit  of  such  characters)  "brought  you  here  to  mix 
up  in  our  affairs  and  make  trouble?" 

Incensed  by  the  vulgar  manner  and  intemperate  language 
of  Aminadab,  the  officer  rose  up  and  made  two  or  three 
strides  across  the  room  with  the  purpose  of  knocking  him 
down.  In  excuse  for  this  sudden  outbreak  of  almost  un- 
controllable passion,  it  must  be  remembered  that  he  had 
not  slept  for  forty  hours,  and  that  his  feelings  were  wrought 
up  to  the  highest  tension  by  the  incidents  of  the  day.  In 
such  a  frame  of  mind  one  is  in  no  humor  to  bear  insults  with 


554  OUT  OF  THE  DEEPS. 

meekness.     Aminadab  staggered  back,  conscious  that  he  had 
gone  too  far. 

Seeing  that  trouble  was  brewing,  Mrs.  Bliss,  by  a  quick 
move,  threw  herself  between  the  angry  combatants,  and 
opened  a  vigorous  fire  upon  the  party  in  the  wrong.  "For 


Aminadab  in  danger. 

the  good  Lord's  sake,  Mr.  LufFer,  what  makes  you  talk  so ! 
What'll  these  people  think  to  hear  you  go  on  in  this  way? 
I  know  the  letter  you're  talking  about  come  here.  Tony 
Eldridge  brung  it  down  from  the  post-office.  I  gave  it  and 
a  newspaper  to  your  little  daughter  to  take  home.  If  you 
didn't  get  it,  she  must  have  lost  it ;  and  when  the  snow  goes 


AMINADAB    SEEKS    ADVICE.  555 

off,  I  guess  you'll  find  it  Alongside  some  of  the  fences  she 
clim'd  over." 

The  explicit  statement  of  Mrs.  Bliss,  buttressed  as  it  was 
by  a  mass  of  overwhelming  concurrent  evidence,  seemed  to 
leave  no  hook  to  hang  a  doubt  on.  Aminadab,  however, 
pretended  to  still  remain  incredulous.  Quitting  the  barri- 
cade behind  the  chair,  he  paced  the  floor  like  a  caged  hyena 
for  a  few  minutes,  and  then  turning  suddenly  to  the  officer, 
as  if  struck  by  a  new  plan,  remarked,  in  a  much  more 
respectful  tone  than  heretofore,  "  I  would  like  to  speak  with 
you  privately  in  the  next  room." 

"Well,  sir,"  replied  that  gentleman,  "I  am  at  your  ser- 
vice ; "  and  followed  into  another  apartment,  closing  the  door 
behind. 

The  agent  broke  the  silence  by  asking,  "  What  have  you  to 
say,  sir?" 

"I  am  almost  dumb  with  surprise,"  he  replied,  "at  the 
turn  things  have  taken,  and  I  want  your  advice  as  to  what 
I  should  do.  I  was  so  sure,  and  so  was  everybody  else, 
that  Garmo  stole  the  money,  and  (sotto  vocc)  I  don't  know 
but  he  did  yet,  that  I  went  to  Frostburgh  and  brought  suit 
against  him  for  the  amount.  I  also  started  a  petition  for 
his  removal,  which  was  filled  with  signers.  I  had  good 
proof,  too,  that  Garmo  paid  away  some  of  my  money.  Now 
here  you  come,  and  in  one  day  upset  everything  by  making 
it  appear  that  the  letter  was  brought  to  this  house  and  given 
to  one  of  my  children.  If  your  conclusions  are  correct, 
how  is  it  the  facts  were  not  found  out  before?  How  can 
you  see  where  the  rest  of  us  were  blind  ? " 

"The  principal  reason,  I  presume,"  replied  the  agent,  to 
whom  the  various  incisive  proceedings  enumerated  by  the 
speaker  were  already  well  known,  "is,  that  every  one  who 
heard  the  stories  afloat  believed  with  you,  and  accepting  their 
truthfulness  without  question,  took  no  pains  to  get  at  the  facts. 
I  came  hither  for  the  specific  purpose  of  finding  out  the  ex- 
act truth,  and,  thank  the  Lord,  I  have  succeeded." 


OUT    OF    THE    DEEPS. 

"Yes,  yes,  —  h'm,  h'm,"  replied  Aminadab,  clearing  his 
throat.  "What  shall  I  do  about  it?" 

"  I  have  no  advice  to  give,  Mr.  LufFer ;  but  if  I  were  in 
your  place,  I  would  go  to  Mr.  Garmo,  I  would  take  him  by 
the  hand,  and  would  say,  'My  old  friend  and  neighbor,  for- 
give me  for  what  I  have  said  and  done  in  this  matter.  I  had 
what  I  supposed  to  be  undeniable  proof  of  your  dishonesty, 
and  in  this  belief  was  sustained  by  the  general  opinion  of  the 
community.  Now  that  the  mystery  is  explained  and  your 
innocence  established,  I  ask  your  pardon.  Allow  me  to  be 
the  first  to  congratulate  you.'  This  is  the  only  reparation 
you  can  make  for  the  injury  done  to  Mr.  Garmo,  and  this 
much  at  least  is  due  to  him.  Your  mistake  was  a  natural 
one,  and  the  apology  ought,  under  the  circumstances,  be 
amply  satisfactory." 

The  manly  suggestion  of  the  officer  made  no  visible  im- 
pression upon  the  mind  of  Aminadab.  With  the  snarl  of  a 
cur,  he  replied,  "  I'll  be  d— d  if  I  do  !  " 

"Then,  sir,"  answered  the  officer,  "it  is  needless  to  pro- 
long our  conference.  In  this  private  interview  I  have  not 
obtruded  upon  you  either  my  presence  or  counsel.  At  your 
solicitation  I  came  into  this  room,  and  at  your  solicitation  I 
have  spoken.  Our  conceptions  of  what  is  due  from  man  to 
man  differ  so  widely  that  nothing  I  can  say  is  likely  to  prove 
serviceable  to  you."  He  then  started  for  the  door. 

At  that  moment  Aminadab  was  evidently  tortured  by  con- 
flicting emotions.  Perhaps  the  latent  spark  of  humanity, 
forgotten  from  long  disuse,  and  buried  under  a  mountain  of 
avarice  and  greed,  like  Enceladus  under  .^Etna,  made  a  final 
effort  to  reach  the  hardened  heart.  Raising  the  palm  of  the 
right  hand  to  his  forehead,  and  looking  downward  in  an 
attitude  of  meditation,  he  exclaimed,  "  Do  not  go  yet." 

The  special  agent  stopped  and  inquired,  "  What  will  you 
have?" 

If  better  feelings  were  struggling  for  transitory  mastery  in 
the  soul  of  the  miser,  the  contest  was  brief,  the  selfishness 


PERPLEXITY    OF    THE    PERSECUTOR.  557 

long  nourished  quickly  resuming  full  sway.  The  nature  of 
the  mental  conflict  was  outlined  in  the  next  remark.  "  I  do 
not  know  about  all  this.  It  may  be  so ;  it  may  not.  I  can't 
tell.  Anyhow,  a  man  who  can  do  what  you  have  done  to- 
day, ought  to  be  able  to  show  a  fellow  a  way  out  of  trouble." 

Aminadab  began  to  realize  that  in  the  measures  taken 
for  the  punishment  of  the  postmaster  he  had  gone  too  fast 
and  too  far,  and  his  present  aim  appeared  to  be  to  find  some 
plan  for  throwing  off  the  load  of  responsibility  and  oppro- 
brium. 

As  might  be  inferred,  the  special  agent  was  in  no  humor  to 
assist.  He  said,  "  Mr.  Luffer,  it  is  not  in  my  power  to  aid 
you,  for  the  simple  reason  that  our  ideas  of  duty  are  totally 
diverse.  I  am  off  for  Frostburgh  at  once.  My  official 
mission  really  ended  at  Forsyth  when  I  learned  that  your 
letter  had  been  delivered  to  Tony  Eldridge.  By  a  custom 
repeatedly  sanctioned  by  you  he  was  authorized  to  receive 
it.  When  it  passed  into  his  hands,  the  responsibility  of  the 
postmaster  and  the  supervision  of  the  department  ceased. 
Finding,  however,  the  family  of  Mr.  Garmo  overwhelmed 
by  distress,  ostracized  in  the  community  where  they  had  al- 
ways lived,  and  subjected  to  cruel  persecution,  I  determined 
to  remain  till  I  sifted  the  matter  to  the  bottom,  never  surmis- 
ing for  a  moment  that  any  individual  would  throw  the  slightest 
obstacle  in  the  way.  Do  you  know  the  boy,  Mr.  Luffer,  who 
gave  the  letter  to  Mrs.  Bliss?" 

"Yes,"  replied  Aminadab.  "He  used  to  go  to  school  to 
me." 

"Well,  sir,"  queried  the  agent,  "do  you  think  that  boy 
would  lie,  and  by  telling  the  story  he  has,  render  himself 
liable  to  arrest?" 

Aminadab  made  no  reply,  but  gave  his  shoulders  an  elab- 
orate shrug. 

"  Sir,"  resumed  the  officer,  "  I  have  no  hesitation  in  ex- 
pressing the  opinion  that  you  are  a  very  bad  man.  If  you 
know  the  lad,  why  don't  you  speak  out  instead  of  attempting 


558  OUT    OF    THE    DEEPS. 

to  stab  his  reputation  by  a  covert  and  cowardly  distortion  of 
your  person.  I  might  add  that  such  gestures  do  not  become 
your  style  of  beauty,  but  forbear,  as  it  is  not  my  province  to 
quarrel  with  nature.  Fortunately  no  words  or  acts  of  yours 
can  injure  Tony  Eldridge  in  my  estimation.  I  know  he  has 
told  the  truth.  I  know  also  that  Mr.  Bliss  has  told  the 
truth.  I  have  now  finished  my  work  here,  and  am  happy  to 
say  that  nothing  I  have  ever  done  has  given  me  more  satis- 
faction." 

During  the  conference  the  merry  jingling  of  bells  was 
heard  in  the  street ;  and  as  the  officer  returned  to  the  com- 
mon sitting-room,  he  was  surprised  to  see  quite  a  crowd  of 
people  entering  through  the  front  door.  It  proved  to  be  a 
party  of  ladies  and  gentlemen  on  the  way  home  from  a  public 
entertainment.  As  the  house  of  Mrs.  Bliss  was  a  general  ren- 
dezvous, they  had  stopped  to  exchange  greetings. 

"  Well,"  thought  the  special  agent,  "  this  is  certainly  a  day  of 
happy  coincidences.  As  the  news  of  the  supposed  criminal- 
ity of  Garmo  has  been  spread  broadcast  through  the  county, 
and  commented  upon  in  every  household,  here  is  an  admirable 
opportunity  to  send  the  antidote  after  the  poison." 

Stepping  into  the  midst  of  the  company,  without  introduc- 
tion or  ceremony,  he  began  :  "Ladies  and  gentlemen,  permit 
a  stranger  to  say  a  few  words  to  you.  Doubtless  you  have  all 
heard  of  the  crime  alleged  to  have  been  committed  by  this 
neighbor  of  yours,  Mr.  William  Garmo,  postmaster  at  For- 
syth.  From  my  observations  to-day,  I  infer  that,  throughout 
a  circuit  of  many  miles,  hardly  a  man,  woman,  or  child  can 
be  found  who  does  not  believe  him  guilty.  As  a  consequence, 
public  odium  rests  heavily  upon  him,  and  through  him  upon 
his  grief-stricken  family.  For  his  sake,  for  their  sake,  for 
your  sake,  I  am  happy  to  say  that  he  is  innocent.  I  am  a 
special  agent  of  the  post-office  department,  and  came  a  long 
distance  to  investigate  this  case.  I  have  discovered  that  the 
lost  letter  was  brought  from  Forsyth  to  this  very  house  by  Tony 
Eldridge,  and  was  here  placed  by  Mrs.  Bliss  herself  in  the 


DEMONSTRATIONS    AT    FORSYTH.  559 

hands  of  a  child  of  Mr.  Luffer.  Both  individuals  remember 
the  facts  distinctly,  and  there  can  be  no  mistake  about  the 
accuracy  of  their  statements.  I  have  also  seen  the  man  who 
paid  Mr.  Garmo  the  bills  supposed  to  have  been  stolen  from 
this  very  troublesome  letter.  The  entire  mystery  surrounding 
the  transaction  has  been  explained,  and  the  vindication  of  the 
postmaster  at  Forsyth  is  complete.  I  have  spoken  much  more 
at  length  than  I  intended  to.  In  conclusion,  allow  me  to  so- 
licit your  co-operation  in  freeing  the  reputation  of  this  gentle- 
man from  the  stain  that  temporarily  rests  upon  it.  On  the 
way  to  your  respective  homes  stop  at  every  house  where  the 
lights  are  still  burning,  — even  wake  up  the  inmates  if  neces- 
sary, —  and  proclaim  the  facts,  so  that  this  worthy  but  greatly 
wronged  man  may  be  immediately  reinstated  in  the  good  opin- 
ion of  all." 

The  remarks  of  the  officer  were  received  with  a  wild  out- 
burst of  enthusiasm.  The  company,  irrespective  of  age  and 
sex,  pressing  around  William  Garmo,  threatened  to  drown 
him  in  a  storm  of  tears  and  congratulations.  In  an  instant 
the  branded  outcast  soared  upward  to  the  pinnacle  of  popular 
favor. 

But  the  night  was  wearing  away,  and  the  company  soon 
began  to  disperse.  "Come,  we  must  go,"  said  the  agent; 
and,  taking  violent  possession  of  the  postmaster,  he  hurried 
him  off  to  the  sleigh. 

It  was  ten  o'clock  when  they  drove  up  to  the  door  of  the 
hotel  at  Forsyth,  but  the  good  news  had  preceded  them.  The 
inn  was  thronged  with  villagers  waiting  to  welcome  the  post- 
master. They  cheered,  vociferated,  and  otherwise  manifested 
their  excitement  in  many  original  and  fantastic  ways.  As 
might  be  expected,  those  lately  most  loud  and  bitter  in  denun- 
ciation were  now  foremost  in  felicitations. 

A  lusty  old  farmer,  considerably  under  the  influence  of 
Bourbon,  seizing  the  hand  of  Garmo  with  the  gripe  of  a  vise, 
expressed  the  sentiment  that  seemed  to  be  uppermost,  "  I  knew 
you  didn't  do  it,  Billy.  It's  all  right  now.  Come  and  take 


OUT    OF    THE    DEEPS. 


something.     Throw  care  to  the  dogs.     Bury  your  bother  under 
the  snow,  to  go  off  with  the  first  freshet." 

So  great  was  the  revulsion  of  feeling  that  the  poor  post- 
master was  almost  delirious  with  excitement.  The  crowd 
hurried  him  to  the  bar,  and  might  have  tempted  him  to  cross 


Garmo  receiving  the  congratulations  of  his  friends. 

the  bounds  of  prudence,  had  not  the  watchfulness  of  the 
special  agent  prevented.  At  that  moment  the  thoughts  of 
the  stranger  were  not  with  the  noisy  throng,  but  with  the  ago- 
nized wife  and  children.  Taking  Garmo  by  the  arm,  he  said, 
"  You  must  now  tell  your  friends  good-night.  I  will  see  you 
home,  and  must  then  start  for  Frostburgh." 


THE    RETURN    OF    HAPPINESS.  561 

The  villagers  now  surrounded  the  special  agent,  and  pro- 
tested against  the  proposed  journey.  "  Pray,  do  not  leave  us 
to-night !  "  exclaimed  one. 

"  What  are  you  made  of,"  said  another,  w  to  think  of  starting 
on  a  journey  of  twenty  miles  at  this  hour,  after  such  a  glori- 
ous day's  work  as  you  have  done?  Stay  with  us,  and  we'll 
have  a  regular  celebration  to-morrow." 

"You  forget,"  chimed  in  a  third,  "that  the  thermometer  is 
below  zero,  and  you  may  perish  on  the  road." 

Telling  the  landlord  to  have  the  horses  in  readiness,  and 
bidding  the  assembled  company  adieu,  he  started  across  the 
street  arm-in-arm  with  the  postmaster.  As  they  entered  the 
house,  the  wife  rose  and  struggled  to  control  her  feelings. 
Advancing  a  few  steps  toward  her,  the  officer  said,  "  Madam, 
I  bring  back  to  you  your  husband  as  pure  in  character  and 
spotless  in  reputation  as  when  he  led  you  to  the  marriage 
altar.  The  letter  has  been  traced  into  the  family  of  Mr. 
LufFer.  All  the  dark  and  perplexing  circumstances  connected 
with  it  have  been  fully  explained.  Your  sorrow  is  at  an  end." 

Although  previously  informed  of  the  favorable  result  of 
the  investigation,  the  announcement  overpowered  her.  She 
reeled,  and,  before  assistance  could  reach  her,  fell  to  the  floor. 
Instantly  a  number  of  females  rushed  in,  and,  from  their 
apparent  solicitude  for  her  welfare,  one  might  have  inferred 
that  an  angel  band  had  descended  from  the  gates  of  paradise 
to  minister  to  a  beloved  sister  in  distress.  Alas,  during  the 
long  weeks  of  anguish  and  darkness,  now  happily  drawn  to  a 
close,  the  same  women  had  kept  studiously  aloof! 

After  a  while  Mrs.  Garmo  recovered,  when  the  intruders 
were  respectfully  requested  to  retire.  The  sons  were  then 
awakened  and  called  in.  To  them  the  story  was  briefly  told. 
The  little  family  gathered  lovingly  about  the  detective,  listen- 
ing with  rapt  attention  to  every  word.  A  subdued  and  holy 
joy  irradiated  the  faces  lately  overcast  with  hopeless  gloom. 
James  and  Willie  clung  to  him  as  if  they  could  not  bear  to 
have  their  benefactor  depart.  But  the  sacred  spell  must  be 

36 


562  OUT    OF    THE    DEEPS. 

broken.  Night  had  already  worn  into  the  short  hours  of 
morning,  and  the  moment  of  separation  had  come.  At  this 
juncture  Mrs.  Garmo,  — 

"  Grace  in  all  her  steps,  heaven  in  her  eye, 
In  every  gesture  dignity  and  love,"  — 

threw  her  arms  around  the  neck  of  the  detective,  and  imprinted 
a  heaven-born  kiss  upon  his  forehead.  "  God  bless  you,  God 
bless  you ! "  was  the  prayer  that  went  up  in  tearful  accents 
from  the  lips  of  the  united  household. 

In  the  bright  moonlight  the  journey  of  twenty-one  miles  was 
quickly  and  safely  accomplished,  a  faint  blush  of  red  tingeing 
the  eastern  sky  as  the  travelers  alighted  at  the  hotel  in  Frost- 
burgh.  In  twenty  minutes  the  officer  was  in  bed  fast  asleep. 
The  nap,  however,  was  not  destined  to  be  lengthy  or  re- 
freshing. Hardly  had  the  weary  brain  entered  the  land  of 
dreams  when  a  storm  of  rude  raps  rattled  against  the  cham- 
ber-door. Under  the  impression  that  the  hotel  porter  had 
blunderingly  awakened  the  wrong  passenger,  the  sleeper 
aroused  sufficiently  to  mutter  a  mild  malediction,  and,  turning 
upon  the  other  side,  instantly  dropped  again  into  the  state  of 
unconsciousness.  At  such  times  the  imagination,  relieved  of 
the  guidance  of  reason,  works  with  wonderful  rapidity.  In  a 
few  seconds  the  dreamer  passed  through  all  the  horrors  of  a 
great  conflagration.  He  seemed  to  be  on  the  topmost  floor  of 
an  immense  building,  with  every  avenue  of  escape  cut  off  by 
the  flames.  After  rushing  hither  and  thither  in  vain  search 
for  an  outlet,  he  was  borne  down  in  the  final  crash,  and,  while 
falling  through  space,  was  awakened  a  second  time  by  a 
fusilade  of  heavy  knocks  upon  the  door. 

With  the  painful  impressions  of  the  nightmare  still  upon  him, 
he  called  out  sharply,  "Who  's  there?  "  still  supposing  that  the 
disturber  of  his  slumbers  had  made  a  mistake. 

"It's  me,"  answered  a  squeaky  voice  not  entirely  unfamiliar. 

"  And  who  is  me  ?  "  queried  the  agent. 

"  Mr.  Luffer,"  replied  the  man  outside. 


REAPPEARANCE    OF    LUFFER.  563 

Sure  enough,  when  the  door  opened,  that  extraordinary 
individual  wriggled  with  a  worm-like  movement  into  the  room. 
Once  in,  he  stood  motionless,  cap  in  hand,  humble  as  a  serf, 
gazing  abstractedly  at  the  rarefied  attire  of  the  rudely  awak- 
ened sleeper.  As  the  costume  of  the  inmate  was  decidedly 
Spartan,  he  did  not  care  to  prolong  the  interview  unnecessarily 
in  the  frosty  air.  Accordingly,  after  waiting  in  vain  for  the 
visitor  to  propound  the  object  of  this  unseasonable  interrup- 
tion, he  asked,  — 

"What  will  you  have,  Mr.  Luffer?" 

"Well,"  replied  that  worthy,  "I  have  thought  the  matter  all 
over,  and  have  come  to  the  conclusion  to  do  the  right  thing. 
I  called  to  ask  you  to  go  with  me  to  see  my  lawyer  to  have  the 
suit  against  Garmo  withdrawn." 

Supposing  that  the  professions  of  amendment  were  genuine, 
the  agent  said,  with  much  more  kindliness  than  he  had  hith- 
erto felt  for  the  creature,  "I  shall  be  happy  to  meet  you  at  the 

office  of  Mr.  V at  ten  o'clock  ;  "  and  thereupon  bowed  out 

the  intruder.  Ringing  for  a  servant,  he  gave  directions  to  be 
called  at  half  past  nine,  and  till  that  hour  slept  without  further 
disturbance. 

At  the  appointed  time  he  called  at  the  office  of  the  lawyer 
—  a  gentleman  of  great  excellence  of  character  who  has  since 
passed  on  to  his  final  rest.  Aminadab  was  already  on  hand. 
After  a  little  preliminary  conversation,  the  special  agent  re- 
marked that  he  dropped  in  at  the  request  of  Mr.  Luffer,  who 
wished  to  do  justice  to  an  old  neighbor  whose  innocence  of  a 
suspected  crime  had  been  clearly  established  the  day  before. 

"  How  is  this  ?  "  inquired  the  lawyer.  "  Luffer  tells  me  he 
still  believes  in  the  guilt  of  Garmo,  but,  as  you  advised  him 
to  withdraw  the  suit  that  in  your  opinion  cannot  be  maintained 
in  face  of  the  extraordinary  evidence  developed  in  some  mys- 
terious manner  by  your  visit,  he  came  to  Frostburgh  to  carry 
the  suggestion  into  effect." 

The  officer  divined  in  a  moment  the  sinister  motive  that 
prompted  the  lying  wretch  to  follow  him.  He  desired  to  save 


564  OUT    OF    THE    DEEPS. 

counsel-fees,  and  invented  the  story  to  mask  his  mercenary 
purpose. 

"  Mr.  V ,"  began  the  agent,  "  pardon  me  if  I  use  strong 

language,  for  I  cannot  repress  the  indignation  I  feel  at  the 
conduct  of  this  false,  cowardly,  despicable  creature.  He 
knows  that  the  postmaster  at  Forsyth  is  innocent.  The  state- 
ment that  he  comes  by  my  advice  to  withdraw  the  suit  is  an 
unmitigated  lie,  told  with  the  design  of  cheating  you  out  of 
your  fees.  I  trust  you  will  make  him  pay  to  the  last  farthing, 
for  a  man  who  can  persecute  a  neighbor  as  he  has  persecuted 
Garmo,  deserves  no  consideration  whatever." 

The  officer  then  gave  a  resume  of  the  facts,  which  entirely 
satisfied  the  mind  of  the  lawyer  of  the  blamelessness  of  the 

postmaster.  Mr.  V expressed  great  gratification  at  the 

result  of  the  inquiry,  heartily  thanking  the  agent  of  the  de- 
partment. 

Aminadab,  writhing  like  a  scotched  snake,  hardly  knew  in 
which  direction  to  strike  next.  Baffled  at  every  point,  the 
insolence  which  supplied  the  place  of  courage  was  fast  oozing 
away.  Turning  in  a  deprecatory  manner  to  the  lawyer,  he 
said,  "This  man  blames  me  for  trying  to  find  my  lost  letter. 
If  I  have  good  reasons  for  believing  that  a  postmaster  steals, 
am  I  to  be  made  odious  for  saying  so  ?  " 

"Let  me  answer  that  question,"  replied  the  agent.  "Every 
citizen,  in  duty  to  himself  and  the  public,  ought  to  report 
promptly  all  losses  occurring  in  the  mails,  and,  in  cases  of 
dishonesty,  to  co-operate  in  bringing  the  thieves  to  punish- 
ment. But  this  does  not  justify  one  in  making  reckless  accu- 
sations, or  in  trifling  with  the  fair  fame  of  others.  Least  of 
all  does  it  excuse  one  for  pursuing  as  a  felon  an  official  proved 
to  be  innocent." 

Subsequently  the  special  agent  called  at  the  office  of  the 
district  attorney,  the  dispatch  from  whom,  it  will  be  remem- 
bered, brought  him  to  Frostburgh.  A  brief  statement  to  him 
closed  the  connection  of  the  detective  with  this  remarkable 
case. 


THE  LOST  LETTER  FOUND.  565 

The  affair  shows  the  peril  of  relying  too  confidently  upon 
circumstantial  evidence.  Had  Garmo  been  arrested  and 
brought  to  trial  without  a  thorough  sifting  of  the  facts,  he 
might  have  been  convicted.  Even  if  acquitted,  the  cordon 
of  proof  enveloped  him  so  closely  that  many  would  have 
believed  him  guilty,  and  his  prospects  would  have  been 
blasted.  The  reputations,  the  liberties,  and  the  lives  of  many 
innocent  persons  have  been  sacrificed,  where  similar  thor- 
oughness and  skill  in  winnowing  the  evidence  would  have 
prevented  the  horrible  mistakes  in  the  administration  of  jus- 
tice. It  is  the  province  of  the  detective  to  protect  the  right  as 
well  as  to  expose  the  wrong. 

When  the  spring  came,  and  the  warm  breezes  melted  the 
snows  on  the  banks  of  the  St.  Lawrence,  a  stained,  water- 
soaked  package  was  picked  up  in  a  fence  corner  between  the 
houses  of  Mrs.  Bliss  and  Mr.  LufFer.  It  proved  to  be  a  letter 
containing  eleven  twenty-dollar  bills,  on  the  Faneuil  Hall 
Bank,  in  good  state  of  preservation.  The  faded  superscrip- 
tion showed  that  it  belonged  to  Aminadab  Luffer,  and  the 
inclosed  missive  explained  the  rest. 

The  discovery  was  a  severe  blow  to  Aminadab,  for  he  had 
not  ceased  to  assert  the  belief  that  William  Garmo  stole  the 
money,  and  that  by  some  "  hocus-pocus  "  the  detective  contin- 
ued to  hide  the  theft.  "For,"  he  inquired  triumphantly,  as 
if  the  proposition  admitted  of  no  controversy,  "  are  not  all 
detectives  rascals?" 

When  the  missing  letter  with  the  inclosures  intact  was 
placed  in  his  hands,  not  a  breath  of  contrition,  or  a  kind  word 
for  the  man  whom  he  had  so  cruelly  wronged,  escaped  from 
his  lips.  Scourged  by  evil  thoughts  and  groveling  ambitions, 
he  walks  the  earth  in  moral  solitude  with  the  brand  upon  his 
brow. 

"The  wretch,  concentered  all  in  self, 
Living  shall  forfeit  fair  renown, 
And,  doubly  dying,  shall  go  down 
To  the  vile  dust,  from  whence  he  sprung, 
Unwept,  unhonor'd,  and  unsung." 


IN    CONCLUSION. 


THE  post-office  department  counts  its  employes  by  thousands 
and  by  tens  of  thousands.  The  "  certainty,  celerity,  and 
security,"  which  characterize  the  operations  of  this  vast  estab- 
lishment, show  how  faithfully  the  work,  in  the  main,  is  per- 
formed. The  system,  however,  is  not  exempt  from  the 
imperfections  incident  to  all  human  enterprises.  Some  who 
are  not  honest  gain  admission  to  the  ranks,  and  the  books  of 
the  division  of  mail  depredations  record  the  numbers  that  are 
yearly  apprehended  in  the  commission  of  crime. 

While  it  may  appear  ungracious  for  a  writer  to  assume  that 
any  among  his  readers  are  liable  to  the  weaknesses  which 
permit  so  many  to  stumble  and  to  fall,  there  is  a  class,  small 
in  comparison  with  the  whole  number  associated  in  the  work 
of  handling  the  mails,  who  need  to  be  specially  warned  by  the 
teachings  of  example.  Very  few,  after  entering  upon  a  course 
of  dishonesty,  ever  stop  voluntarily.  The  theory  of  detection 
in  the  postal  service  is  based  on  the  assumption  that  the  thief 
will  continue  to  steal,  for  the  "  appetite  grows  by  what  it  feeds 
on."  As  every  finger-mark,  however  cunningly  disguised, 
points  to  the  guilty  hand,  exposure  and  punishment,  under  a 
thoroughly  organized  system  of  supervision,  follow  as  a 
necessary  sequence. 

But   considerations  far  above  the  mere  fear  of  retribution 


568  IN   CONCLUSION. 

should  lead  one  under  all  circumstances  to  cleave  steadfastly 
to  the  right.  Though  the  tempter  offer  the  kingdoms  of  the 
earth  and  the  glory  of  them  for  a  single  act  of  pollution,  the 
bribe  must  be  spurned.  Wrong  acts  poison  character,  deaden 
conscience,  debauch  the  sensibilities,  and  pilot  the  way  with 
dread  certainty  to  ever-deepening  abysses,  not  because  others 
discover  them  or  God  sees  them,  but  because  the  fatal  knowl- 
edge dwells  in  the  heart  of  the  guilty.  Within,  hidden  per- 
haps from  the  suspicion  of  the  world,  the  awful  hieroglyphics 
are  traced  in  letters  of  flame,  ready  to  blaze  forth  on  some  day 
of  judgment,  near  or  far,  compelling  the  soul  to  pronounce  its 
own  sentence  of  condemnation. 


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LD  21-100m-12,  '43  (8796s) 

